Family Ties
by Laurleen
Summary: The world of Pokemon expanded and while the Dex holders are working to make the world a better place, there are events that happen behind the scene that require attention they can't spare or they shouldn't know about. Therefore it's up to other to come in and work in the shadow.
1. Chapter 1: Ecruteak City

Familie ties

Ecruteak City. The city still showed the scars of the catastrophe which had happened there some weeks ago and the repairs were stilll far from being complete. That is, all was in need of repairs except the Tin Tower which had been urgently built back, at the express demand of the local Gym Leader.

Who wasn't in town for the moment. Nor at his gym actually. She had passed by the building and had caught glimpse of it through the trees of the forest and couldn't see any activity going on in this area. Aside from the tower, it was the only building of the city that hadn't been hit by the landslide. Even the Dance Theater of the Kimono Girls was nothing but a wasteland with rubble laying here and there and the sisters were nowhere to be found. Actually, they probably were gone to help the population rebuilding the city.

But nothing of that were of any interest for her. She was only passing through here and had a lot of things to do. Moreover, she was getting close to reaching her goal and it was out of question she'd let a mere natural disaster deter her from it.

« Come on, Wobbee, she said to her Pokemon who was following her since Azaela. Uups.. »

« Careful, young lady, tis dangerous 'round here. » A hand caught her before she tumbled in the rubble of a half buried building.

« Oh, I'm sorry, mister. » she said with a chastened smile and the required blush. « I wasn't paying attention. » The worker was accompanied by a Machop and a Machoke who were certainly helping him clearing up the area. « It's terrible… All that happened... »

« That's true. » sighed the man. « And what is even more terrible is that it wasn't a natural disaster. »

« It wasn't ? » She took her most innocent look. « Yet landslides are common in the region, aren't they ? »

« But we can forecast these, especially with the power of the leader of our gym. No, that one was the work of Team Rocket ! »

« No, really ? Are you sure ? » Now she looked pensive. « But I thought it had been disbanded three years ago. I heard about the events that happened in Kanto... »

« Eh, anything's possible, apparently weed isn't easily got ridden of. » the worker told her, shrugging his shoulders. He turned towards his Pokemon who were back to work, removing the bricks and stones and placing them in a huge wheelbarrow which already was half full.

« But do you have proof of it ? You must call the police. We can't let such people act like this with impunity. »

« Several witnesses assure they saw many black clad persons displaying a red R on their chest. If that's no proof… And don't worry, missy, authorities have been warned and journalists already have come to do numerous reports on the situation. We'll build everything back to what it was. No, better than what it was. We'll show them we keep our spirits up !

« Whoa… You're so courageous ! I'd love to play a part into such a noble task, even though I'm not from the city. Can I do anything to be useful ? Please ? Tell me Please ! »

The worker had a surprised look and moved backwards before such enthusiasm and stars into the girl's eyes. He even took the time to analyze her from head to toe. What could possibly do a frail looking, blond haired girl whose hair were tied into two thin ponytails, dressed like a school girl with a blue spotted skirt and a white tank top with a Wobbuffet on it, to help rebuilting an entire city ?

« I won't ask you to help me remove the mountains of rubble, but I'm sure they need people at the baracks where the injured have been tranfered to. »

« Really ? » She was almost bouncing of joy. « Oh, thank you sir. Can you show me where they are located? »

« In that direction. » he pointed the outskirts of the town, at the opposite side of the Tin Tower. « You can't miss them. »

« Once again, thank you very much. You're very kind. » She had a big smile at him and waved him away before leaving the worker. He looked at her going away towards the place he had indicated, he starred into space until his Machoke called him back to order with the help of a tap on the back of his head which send him head straight to the ground.

The man with the Machop and Machoke had told her the truth. She couldn't have missed the barracks were the people who had been injured in the landslide had been gathered. But he had been wrong when he had told her they certainly needed help. Most of the victims had only minor injuries and the hastily put together shacks mostly served to shelter the population of Ecruteak until their houses were liveable again.

Many were discussing the events that had happened and complained about the loss of their home and other were moaning that the construction would take a long time, a very long time, probably until winter and that it was not an easy feat to live with such a lack of privacy.

« You wait for me here, right Wobbee ? » she asked her Pokemon with a quick wink. « And don't do anything silly. »

Leaving her partner outside, she entered in the first shelter. As she was expecting, there weren't much people left in the camp bed that had been set, only those who had been hit the most, elder and children. Well, almost only those. There was someone who didn't fit any of those two extremes.

« Good day, miss. How can I help you ? » a male nurse welcomed her, his head bent on a register. « You don't seem wounded to me. »

« You do have a trained eye. I'm not wounded indeed. I just arrived in town but I'd love to help. I'm saddened by what had happened. »

« Well… Had you been here last week, or the week before it, your service would have been more than needed, but now... » he spread his arms, as if to encompass the entire room where the injured people were actually not many.

« Are you telling me I'm useless ? » Tears shone at the corners of her azure eyes.

« No… no, of course not, you're not useless… But I have no idea of your medical skills and... »

« Don't worry about it ! » She had gone from tears to smile. « I often helped healing and curing, people and Pokemon alike in the village I am from. So, can I help ? Tell me I can help. »

« I… I guess you can, » the man surrendered. « But you're going to follow me. I have to do my rounds to make sure my patients are in good health. »

« No problem. I'll be like a shadow. » she promised.

The nurse man had been right when he had said there weren't need of so much help. His round mostly consisted in replacing bandage, administering tranquilizers or simply discussing with the patients. Both elder and children seemed to be feeling the need to talk and being informed about the progress of the rebuilding of the town. All except one.

« Have you seen Ho-Oh ? » asked the elder lady.

« Ho-Oh ? » the foreigner asked. « Have you lost your Pokemon ? If you tell me what he looks like, I'd be delighted to go and look for him. »

The injured lady smiled, and then sighed.

« If only it was that easy. Ho-Oh isn't a pet, my dear. And he can't be caught that easily. It's a bird. And rumor has it his eyrie is at the top of the Tin tower. »

« The Tin tower that had been destroyed ? If he was inside, he must be in pitiful condition now. Unless he flew away before the tower fell. I heard that some Pokemon could feel disaster before us, humans, did, and acted accordingly. But he'd not have been back already, would he ? With all that noise from the public work... » She was thinking out loud.

« It's obvious you're not from the area, are you ? Ecruteak City is the nesting place of Ho-Oh. However he doesn't reside there. » The elder now had a lecturing tone. She certainly already had told this story time and time again. « Yet, he knows when his nest is destroyed. And legends tell that it drives him into a rage none would like to witness. That's why the tower has been restaured first of all. But if Ho-Oh comes, and he will come, he'll not hesitate for one second to satisfy his desire for revenge on those who dared attacking his nest. »

« But… But those who did that have been arrested, right ? How would Ho-Oh know who did the deed ? »

« Oh, he would not know. He'll certainly decide the city is responsible for it and will complete its destruction. » the elder calmly answered.

« Eeeeeh ? » the younger woman exclaimed. « But he can't do that ! You had nothing to do with it and you are already suffering from the town, it's in ruins. He can't do that ! » she said again. « Isn't he the protective bird of your city ? Why would he destroy it ? »

For the second time of the day, a stranger eyed her from head to toe, judging her.

« You are wrong. Ho-Oh isn't a protector. He lived in the region way before the city was founded. He doesn't have to adapt, we do. Now, leave me, I'm tired. » she said, laying back in her bed and turning around, her back facing the young woman and the nurse man.

« Yes, I understand. Sorry m'am. » She bowed then followed the nurse who was going to another patient, a much younger woman this time, with her arm in a sling. « What she said… is it true ? »

« Who ? Oh, Akiko ? Yes, most likely. She is one of the group we call the Kimono Girls around here, even if she doesn't dance anymore now. But from what I know, it was one of the best dancer. »

« And I'm still able to be more than a match to these green-horns if I feel like it. » Akiko assured from her bed, showing that her hearing hadn't diminished with the years.

« Of course Akiko. But for now, you are not in a condition to do it and you need to rest. »

« But what does it have to do with Ho-Oh ? » the blond girl asked again in a low voice.

« I don't know the whole story, but what I can say is that, several years ago, almost two centuries ago in fact, Akiko's ancestor felt called by Ho-Oh and they were convinced they had to be the bearer of his story. They had to be ready to welcome the Rainbow bird where he'd be back. They even ordered a statue depicting him, almost fifty years ago. Now it proudly stands at the top of the Tin Tower. And people say it glows when Ho-Oh is near. »

« Really ? How is that possible ? »

« Oh, that… I'd not be able to tell. You'd have to ask the one who made it. »

The young blond girl was about to ask who was the sculptor able to do such a deed, when she head a familiar voice at the door.

Oh no ! She thought. She ran to the door to see her Wobbuffet being agitated and calling for her.

« Wobbee ? What's wrong ? You don't have to be beside yourself. Someone tried touching your tail ? It's not such a big deal. Come here, come to me. » she called. The Wobbuffet rushed to his trainer and hid behind her.

« I fear I'm responsible for it. » A shy and low voice could be heard. It belonged to a young brown girl, her hair in two ponytails held by elastic band decorated with two red balls. She was wearing a blue dress and a white jacket that a red bow kept closed. She didn't seem injured in any way though. « I didn't want to frighten him, but I fear I touched his tail by mistake.

« Oh, but you mustn't do that. Wobbee doesn't like people to touch it. He didn't hurt you, did he ? » She asked, to confirm her first diagnosis.

« No, not at all, don't worry. She said, waving her had as if she was swipping away the worries of the Wobbuffet's trainer. « I should be apologizing. »

« It's very kind of you. You accept her apology, don't you Wobbee ? »

« Wooobbuufffet. » said the Pokemon.

« He agrees. He knows you hadn't done it on purpose. »

« You see me glad to know. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to go into the infirmary. »

« Ah, sorry. » the blond girl moved aside and let the brown one get in. « Come now Wobbee. We've to go on now. And they don't need us here. » Without even a last glace to the destroyed city, she left it.

« In the end, we haven't learnt much. The inhabitants are convinced Team Rocket is behind this catastrophe and that Ho-Oh wouldn't be happy to see his eyrie had been damaged and will get his revenge on the city. But I don't see the utility of it. Except if whoever did that wanted to attract Ho-Oh in the region. » she sighed. « Too bad Morty wasn't here, he's in the know with this bird, he'd have been able to give us prime importance information… What's wrong Wobbuffet ? »

The Pokemon had indeed stopped walking at the side of the road and was pointing towards the Tin Tower overlooking the city. She took a pair of field glasses from the small handbag hanging from her hip.

« Well, well, well… Look who is here...»


	2. Chapter 2 : Battle at the Top

Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.

This chapter may be a bit complicated to understand, even though, to me, it's rather clear. To help, what is written in _italic_ is what the main character hears through her device, what is in **bold** is what the main character thinks and what is written in normal font is either normal speech or description.

2 – Battle at the top

The Tin Tower. The building Ecruteak city brought back from rubble not long ago in order to apease Ho-Oh's anger and in hope of preventing him from getting his revenge on the city and its inhabitant. The story still rang in the woman's ears. But that wasn't what had caught her Wobbuffet's attention, nor hers now that she had looked through her binoculars.

"I have to see that from up close." she told her blue Pokemon. "Stay here."

"Woobbuuffet." answered the Pokemon, placing one of his appendix on his head, as in a salute.

She looked around and speedily ran up a tree. Taking her binoculars again, she aimed them towards the building, towering over the area. And she didn't require a lot of time to pinpoint what she was looking for. Moving her left hand to her pouch, she took a small device and placed it on her ear before turning it on, she then climbed down the tree in swift and quick moves.

"Let's go Wobuffet. That's a show I certainly don't want to miss."

"Woobuffeeeeet..."

"Oh, you're right." She put the basket she had in her hand into his appendix. "Keep that for me. And don't lose any!"

"Woob..." That was all the blue Pokemon could muster before his trainer raced away towards the Tin Tower. She hardly could believe what she had seen.

On the roof of the fifth floor, a Pokemon proudly stood. A Pokemon whose beauty was almost tangible, the quadruped stood high, as if challenging everyone to try and come to him, his purple mane flitting around, but regardless the direction the wind was flowing, as if it was moving on its own accord, the crest decorating the creature's head was brightly gleaming in the sun's light. The body of the Pokemon was different hues of blue, darker on its back while its muzzle was much lighter, as well as the diamond shaped marks all along his fur. Suicune. This was a legend she had heard about yet didn't expect to see once in her life. However, that wasn't what had her come running to the Tower.

The Pokemon of legende's challenge was answered. A young brown haired girl carried by a Natu. The very one being in the entire region she hadn't expected to come accross.

"Suicune…_ We finally meet… Suicune."_ From what she could hear through her device, the new comer was clearly enthralled by the sight of such presence, beauty and nobility. "_I have followed you since the plains spreading between Olivine and Ecruteak. And now, you're here… In front of me… We__r__e you waiting for me ?_ "The last part had been muttered, as if for herself.

_"I have been looking for you… But each time I thought I had found you, it turned out to be either a vision or just a fake. A vision set by Mr. Eusine in the hope of attracting you. Or a fake, a Ditto under the command of Team Rocket..."_ **Hm… Team Rocket again…** She'd have to investigate this more closely."_ But now, you're really here ! I don't know why... but I feel it for sure. I want to be the only trainer worthy of your beauty… Who wouldn't want that ? To have such splendor with you… I want you to be at my side. Always… "_

There was nothing for a moment, only the wind howling. The blond haired girl moved from tree to tree until she was close enough to see the one who was talking to Suicune and yet not been seen, thanks to the cover of the trees. From the look in her eyes, the girl really did look enthralled. But then, for a reason the watcher couldn't muster, she snapped out of it.

_"Oh, I have not yet introduced myself."_ Her Natu was easily bringing her to the tower's top, thanks to his psychic powers. "_My name is Crystal ! Suicune, it'd be a honnor to battle you !"_ The watcher couldn't help but smile at Crystal's statement and boldness. To think this little girl was ready to go against a legend... This made her heart beat faster of excitement.

As if he had understood her motive, Suicune snarled and adopted a defensive stance, his body bent fowards, ready to retaliate, or flee.  
_"You're ready ? Then… Here I come."_

Without even waiting to reach the solid ground of the tower's roof, she had already thrown the Pokeball containing her most faithful partners : Arckee with Hitmonee, Parasee and Bonee on his back. The blond girl was surprised by the presence of a Pokemon she had never seen in Crystal's team, standing proud on the Arcanine's head, ready to fight to the end.

**You go girl !** She couldn't help but think. A Chikorita would be quite an asset, Suicune being a Pokemon using Water type moves, from what she could have learned about him.

_"Bonee, Bonemerang !"_ the girl commanded. The bone flew towards its target, headed at the head of the swift beast. Yet, even if the aim was good, the club didn't hit anything, but went right through it. Suicune had already moved away, as if he had foreseen the attack.

_"You're as fast as ever. But that's part of my plan."_ The bone was indeed moving back towards the sender and Suicune was in its path. The Pokemon's eye grew wider as the bone brushed against his fur.

_"That Bonemerang wasn't meant to attack you, but to lure you where I want you to be !"_ claimed Crystal. "_Parasee, now !"_ In the split second that had been needed for Cubone to throw his bone, Arckee had reached the roof where Suicune was standing and now, the Bug type Pokemon was close at hand to the Aurora Pokemon.

"_Spore !" _came the command. Dozens, hundreds of granules were expelled by the huge mushroom on the Pokemon, the wind blowing them towards Suicune. But Suicune was fast indeed and moved swiftly out of the way. Eyeing his opponent, he opened his mouth and a strong wind flew, scattering all that was left of the spore in the air. Some of them reached the girl watching the battle taking place, making her cough. Good thing she was far away enough so they couldn't hear her.

"_So, you used Gust to counter the attack ! That's a nice idea. But I'm sure you didn't blow away all the spore that had stuck in your fur ! You'll need to get rid of it. And for that… You're heading for that pond!"_

Suicune, as amazing as he was, was but a wild Pokemon that couldn't rely on a trainer – as of now – to remove the effect of paralysis, poison or sleep powder. That was indeed good thinking on Crystal's part, the young woman had to admit. Wild Pokemon used water to counter those kinds of troublesome problem, that was a behavior widely seen among Pokemon. Suicune was no different in that aspect and she had noticed the stretch of water in the Tower's courtyard. And now her target was heading to there.

**If you want to strike, it must be now !**

"_Hitmonee, it's your turn ! "_ her Pokemon slid from Arckee's back and let himself fall toward the ground, aiming at Suicune's landing place. " _This punch will increase your downward speed… Mega Punch ! "_

In spite of his state, limited by the spore and weakened, and regardless of the speed and Hitmonchan's strike force, Suicune avoided the hit pretty easily. And Crystal's Fighting Pokemon's punch hit the gound. That was a disappointment for the young woman witnessing the battle. Looking up, she saw Suicune, standing high. Was Suicune actually triumphally smiling at Crystal ? She was almost certain he had been smiling. Now, for what reason… Approval or disdain, it was hard to say.

_"I knew you'd return that blow. But I wasn't aiming at you at all. I was actually aiming for the ground ! "_ And with a short delay, the ground broke and fell to pieces, as easily as if a Pokemon had used a Earthquake attack, throwing the quadruped, who wasn't expecting it, off balance, the seismic tremor spreading to the tree where she was hiding in. Good thing she had a good sense of and sharp stones were flying all around the blue Pokemon and his challenger, preventing Suicune from regaining his footing. In his fall, the Aurora Pokemon violently crashed into a protuding boulder, leaving him stunned in the middle of debris.

Standing on an Electrode – that one was another addition to her team it seemed – Crystal took a ball from her backpack. Heavy Ball if the black color was to be trusted. Given Suicune's size, there was no doubt he was also quite heavy, therefore using this ball was the best option.

" _And now, I'll capture you !"_

**Will you now ?Wouldn't that be bold of you to assume you could catch such a noble legend ?**

With a perfectly executed kick, the young girl threw the Heavy Ball towards the wild Pokemon. He tried to get away, but there was no way to resist the attractive power of the ball. The blue furred Pokemon seemed to be vacuumed inside the round device. She had done it !

_"Capture done !_ " she exclaimed, a bright smile on her face.

"Oh, really?" the blond haired woman muttered, her eyes focused on the shaking ball.

But the Heavy Ball kept wriggling under the repeated attacks from the Pokemon it was struggling to contain. Attacks that kept getting stronger and stronger, as if carried out with a strength born from despair, and the Ball was starting to crack, even though it was well-made. The cracks eventually gave way and Suicune made his way out.

_"No ! It can't be !"_ Crystal yelled. But she quickly got back to business. "_I'm not giving up yet _! _If Suicune can break through a Heavy Ball, it only means I have to weaken it further."_ She got ready to get on with the fight, following the Aurora Pokemon, which was trying to run away over the roof of the tower. But Crystal wasn't one to be so easily deterred. She had been well raised in that regard.

_"Arckee ! Bonee !"_ she called her Pokemon who were still on the roof, at the same place where she had seen Suicune. And they were ready to obey any of her command. Arcanine jumped after their prey, Cubone was on his back, and their trainer was thinking fast and outloud, one floor below them, her eyes focused on the battle at hand.

_"False swipe… It'd be the only way to weaken and capture Suicune easily. But given who our target is, we'll need heaps of speed and better timing."_ All the while, her Fire Pokemon was following the blue one all over the tower's top. Eventually, Arcanine managed to outspeed Suicune, he now was near him, within fangs' reach, but it also meant her Pokemon was within Suicune's move range. Sure, Suicune wouldn't be able to dodge this attack as he had dodged the Bonemerang move, at the start of the fight, but it also meant that Crystal's Arcanine and Cubone could be hit as well. And both were weak to water moves.

**Crystal, what do you have in mind… You're usually more thoughtful than this.**

_"Bonee ! False Swipe !"_ she commanded.

Bonee was so focused on his target, it was like a tunnel vision, he could see only it, it was impossible for him to miss it, the bone was going to strike Suicune's crest., weakening it enough to enable Crystal to capture this fabulous Pokemon . However Bonee's club never hit. She hadn't considered the Pokemon's two tails which had crossed at the place where the bone should have hit. And now Cubone was stuck in a vise that Suicune didn't seem about to loosen.

Good thing it wasn't what Cubone was wanting to do. Nor Crystal.

_"Bonee ! You can do it !"_ the trainer screamed to give courage and strength to her ground Pokemon. His muscles were tense, his eyes focused, not moving away from his target who was so close to him. If he was to stretch his paws, he'd certainly be able to touch it. Even Crystal was now getting close to Suicune. And getting closer. Actually, would this be what she had planned on doing ? But she was stopped in her tracks by something she hit her head on.

"_Huh… ? What ? What's this ?" _The watching girl was wondering the same thing as she saw Crystal held out her hands until they met something solid. And invisible. What could it be ? And what it was, it was between her and Cubone and Suicune. She had no way to get to them.

_"There is something wrapped around the tower !"_ she cried out in surprise for herself, so astonished she was. And so was the blond haired there some Psychic Pokemon around ? A trained wishing to catch Suicune too ? A quick check was enough to show that there were none around with a Pokemon capable of such things. So… So it must come Suicune himself. But how ?

_"This is the legendary wall that Suicune uses to keep pursuers away. The Crystal wall !"_ A mane's voice faintly reached her from her device, surprising her. She saw the brown haired girl took a doll from her bag.

_"Mr… Mr Eusine ?"_ Crystal's clear voice.

_"Are you at the Tin Tower now ?"_ The man's low and faraway voice. She had to struggle to decypher what it was saying. "_The doll's rigged with a signal transmitting bug. It allows me to track your position accurately_." Ooh, so that man had decided to follow Crystal too. The blond woman frowned. She didn't like it at all. On the other hand, Crystal didn't seem phased by it. "_I'm moving towards you now. I can see the tower ! And I need you to stop the wall from closing in."_

Apparantly, the urgency in his voice for this last request made Crystal react more than the fact Eusine had given her an item that allowed him to follow all her comings and goings. And there were no need to be a genius to understand that if Suicune found shelter behind this crystal wall, it would be impossible to catch him.

It was enough reason for her to get on the move. She wasn't certainly to give up such a catch. She jumped from the Electrode to the roof, unafraid of the height and the fatal fall if she were to misstep, but making the blond woman gasp. Crystal ran to her Cubone, seizing his bone to help him keep it in place, hoping their combined strength would be enough. But it was more easily hoped than done.

_"There is only a thin gap left."_ she said to that Eusine between gritted teeth by the effort.

_"Once the … closed, we … blocked out !"_ Eusine's voice went on, many words were lost though. "_Suicune will … disappear… We'll lose … you can buy some … I get there... "_

_"You mean, delay him ?" _Crystal asked, already panting from the effort. And Bonee… He was clearly on his last legs, as he hadn't evolved into a Marowak yet, he had a hell of a job holding Suicune. Within a few seconds, once minute at best, the wall would close.

"_That's… am asking … do." _The man answered.

_"What do you plan on doing ?"_ she asked him, panting from pain and exhaustion.

"_I have something … __catc__h up with him, even if … closes in. It's … bell."_

**A**** bell ?** the blond woman thought when Crystal repeated the last few words the man had said, "_The Invisible Bell ?"_

_"Yes. … borrowed it to one … villains. And if they … knew about … wall and brought along … bell."_

That explanation was almost missed. From where she was, bellow the tower, the woman had a hard time making out the words. The tracking device that the man had put into Crystal's stuff probably was at some distance and the the sound of the wind sometime drowned out his words. She really needed to get closer… But where ? And how would she do it without being noticed ? Looking around to spot the right position she could go to, she saw a shape coming from afar. It took her some time to focus on it, yet she saw it was a round Pokemon, most likely a Jumpluff carrying a man, floating on the wind and getting in their direction.

_"Anyway, if I can reach … wouldn't have to worry about … . I'm counting on you."_

_"I'm trying my dearest."_ Crystal said, her teetch clenched by the effort. A few feet behind her, Arcanine was lying on the ground, apparently in pain. Yet she couldn't stop to check on her fire type partner, not now.

The young woman, on the other hand, was hesitating about what she should do. She didn't want to leave Cristal in that battle, yet what that man, Eusine, had said, had caught her attention. He had mentionned « villains » and something he had taken from them, whatever that Invisible Bell was. Her mind was working at high speed. If that bell was linked to Suicune, who seemed to be linked to the Tin Tower, and if those «villains » were in possession of such an item… Well, Cristal did have mentionned Team Rocket earlier, she remembered with a small smile.

A snap followed by a deep sound, like a bell, rang through her device, stopping her in her reflexion. It'd seem Cristal had failed in her task of preventing Suicune from closing his barrier, thus making him impossible to catch. Ah well, she'd have other opportunity later. Looking in the opposite direction of the tower, she checked the wind force and where it was blowing. Jumpluff floated with the wind, regardless of where it was blowing. So it was easy to suppose were it came from.

"Well, I am sorry I can't stay to comfort you over your failure, but mom has other business to attend to." she said with a sigh, getting down the tree to her wobbuffet who had finally reached her.

"Come on Wobbuffet, we have a long way to go and little time to lose."

"Woobbuffet…." the blue psychic Pokemon panted.


	3. Chapter 3: The Battlefield Interrogation

**Disclaimer: This is based on the manga Pokemon - The Great Adventure, Silver, Gold, Crystal arc. No character of the main cast belong to me, the occasional NPC are mine.**

**Information: to make is clearer, what is written in bold is thought from the main character, what is written in**_ italic_** is heard through device speech.**

3 - Battlefield Interrogation

Without another word, she called her Pokemon back into his Pokeball and started heading to the location that this Eusine had come from. That meant the opposite direction the wind was blowing towards. It didn't take her long to follow the route towards where she supposed he battle field where his fight with those so called Team Rocket members had happened. She carefully avoided getting back in Ecruteak City and the Tin Tower, but she noted anyway that the inhabitants didn't seem to have noticed anything about the battle that had taken place there. One could have thought that such a disruption would have attracted curious people, especially considering that it had happened in a building that was so important in their eyes. But no. Everyone was going about their rebuilding business without caring about anything else.

She didn't pay much attention about it for, hardly had that thought formed in her mind that the city was already far behind her. She was now running across plains as far as her eyes could see, covered by corn fields, pastures where Milktank and Tauros flocks were peacefully grazing.

She slowed down to get a better overview. Fields spread as far as her deep green eyes could see. Corn field, flower field, berry trees of all sort creating a rainbow colored blanket over the lands. Here and there were Milktank and Tauros with downy Mareep, grazing the green grass or resting in the shadow of the trees and shelters their owners had built for them. She could hear a canine Pokemon barking in the distance followed by the giggle of a child. However nothing looked like what she was looking for. Yet, a Pokemon battle field shouldn't be so hard to find, especially in such an open place. Nothing unusual. At all.

She was now walking on the beaten path leading to Olivine City. To her right were some farms buildings, barn, wells, grain silos, pastures enclosed by wodden fences. Well, one of them was broken and she spotted two men kneeling next to it, most likely to gauge the extend of the damage. Still nothing unusual. She was about to look away when a flash of sunlight being reflected caught her eyes.

**That, o****n the other hand, ****is**** not usual. **

She slowed down to a more strolling pace, made sure her outfit was neat and tidy then made her way to the two men. Both were wearing blue and worn-out – though clean – overalls, white shirt and brown gloves, and both had light brown hair looking even lighter, almost blond, under the sun light.

"Good day my good sirs." she said with a big and bright smile, kneeling down next to them.

The two craftmen looked up from their work and smiled back at the young woman. They looked a bit surprised to see her there, one of them – the youngest – tiped the hem of his hat.

"Well, I'll be… What's a good looking gal doing in our so quiet region?" the older one asked.

"Even good looking gal can enjoy the peace of the hinterland." she answered without losing her innocent smile. "Had there been an accident?" she asked, pointing at the barrier, with some concern in her voice.

"Oh, that… We don't quite know. Most likely a Tauros who got mad and destroyed it."

"Yeah. Pokemon do show a strange behavior lately." the younger went on, his attention back on the damaged fence. "They don't give milk, they fall asleep in the middle of the day for no reason… There is a dirty virus in the air, that's for sure."

Pokemon falling asleep for no reason? That was most likely due to Crystal's Parasect. She knew this Pokemon's abilities and her trainer had made a very good job at training her to mix the several spores she produced in order to get diverse results. But why would she have needed to use it on so many farm Pokemon? There were still too much questions that needed answers.

"_Hang in there Chris."_ The voice sounded desperate, surprising the woman. She hoped she hadn't made the wrong choice. Yet she didn't let her concern show. The two men wouldn't understand.

"Let's hope not." she said, with casualness in her voice. "I see you are quite busy, I won't disturb you any longer. Have a good day." With a last wave and a wink to the younger worker – she saw with pleasure that he blushed – she went on her way, with happiness in her steps.

She had got a clue. From what those two men had said, Crystal and Eusine had certainly started their fight in that area of Johto. She couldn't say for sure who had broken the fence, however the blond haired girl wasn't about to believe that it was a Tauros who destroyed the wooden barrier. It could happen, of course. But Tauros didn't leave ice shard in their trails. Whoever her daughter and her friend where fighting certainly had done it. All she had to do now was follow that track back up to the Tower.

It didn't take her too long to find other clues: half burnt grass showed her the path to follow. She had need enough fire type Pokemon using their move in her life time to know that it wasn't this type of fire.

"Electrik Pokemon..." she muttered. She could still feel the tension in the air. "An Electrode?" It'd be logical, Crystal had arrived on an Electrode. She was on the right track. Now, to know who they were fighting… Suicune would be the obvious choice, but where did Team Rocket enter the equation? The trail went on for several hundred yards and stopped between several boulders. There were holes all around them.

_ Step noise on wooden floor could be heard , as well as the heavy panting of a man going an effort he wasn't used to sounded in her ears. Then a 'Urh!_

"Ground type Pokemon?" she suggested to herself. "Probably." She knelt down and observed the soil that had been turned over. No, it wasn't that. The traces didn't fit. Not more than this boulder fitted the composition of the surrounding rocks. And, what was more important, the surrounding rocks didn't try to flee.

"_Here is where we use the Invisible Bell." _She heard the light and soft ringing of a bell followed by more panting and footsteps.

"Were I you, I'd stop right away." she simply said.

It had an immediate effect and the boulder which, from hard and rock solid looking, turned to liquid and took a purplish shade of pink.

"You want to find your trainer?" the woman went on, speaking to the Ditto. "That's lucky. I need to meet them. And you'll lead me to them."

The Ditto didn't seem confident, he was clearly hesitating, not sure what he should be doing. She could see he wasn't sure what he should be doing.

"Let me guess..." she started with an amused voice. "You were left here to serve as diversion in case someone where to be too curious, is that it?" The Ditto seemed to understand and did his best to look angry. The woman laughed at the attempt as she went and sat next to it. "Come on, let's be serious here, you have no idea if I am a friend or an enemy, have you? And it's not as if you could even hope to defeat me. So you better be what I am asking you, don't you think?" She told him with a wink, going as far as to rub the top of his head. The Ditto had a look of surprise, soon replaced by an awkward expression. In the end, he relented under the merciless glare of the young woman and started changing shape for one that was more suited for travelling.

The form he took surprised her, it looked like a small Vulpix, but with only two tails and whose main color was blue. She tilted her head, but then, shrugged it off and got up.

"_Suicune… Suicune, where are you?" Race noise._

"… Bring me to your trainer." she commanded. "And don't you try getting away, I'd find you."

The threat was enough and the Pokemon shook his head, but she wasn't easily fooled. If that Pokemon was indeed a Team Rocket member's Pokemon, he could very well try to trick her. The Pokemon let her throught a thicket, one of the many of the area, at time walking on the path, other times progressing through the trees' branches, stopping only a few times, as if to make sure he had taken the right direction.

"_So, this is the symbol of Ecruteak City's legend Morty was talking about. The giant statue of Ho-Oh." the voice in her device was saying. _Apparently Eusine had reached the top of the Tin Tower and the statue of the bird.

"Wouldn't you be trying to shake me off, by any chance?" she asked to the Ditto after they had stopped one more time. The Pokemon turned to face her with an enigmatic smile on his lips and a strange look in these exotic eyes, then he pointed towards a direction with one of his paws, a path getting deeper in the cover of the trees.

"_Suicune's track… Could he be still here?" Silence. Then a disappointed sigh. "… I guessed as much, he's long gone."_

"Well, let's go and see. And you, you're coming with me." she categorically said, seizing the Ditto by the neck just as he reversed to his usual shape. The more she was making her way through the trees and foliage, the more she felt a sort of electrical current in the air.

"Weird. There is no storm in the air and the electrik Pokemon aren't legion in here… And of course, you can't speak. But what's..."

One way or another, she found herself entangled in web that she hadn't noticed, sticky web that was glued to her clothes and skin, making her shudder of disgust. The Ditto took this opportunity to struggle free of her grasp.

"Don't you… That's sickening." She growled between gritted teeth. After several minutes, she had managed to remove enough web to be able to get out of the trap. Contrary to what she'd have thought, the Ditto hadn't fled. On the contrary. He was still here, but accompanied by an Elekid and a Spinarak, and none were paying her any attention. They were focusing on something that was laying on the ground and weakly moaning. They seemed quite distraught.

"Ok, let me see." she told the Pokemon, getting near them. "Oh, it's fine, I'm not going to hurt him. I'm a doctor." she added as she saw their mistrustful look, the Elekid in particular who was emitting sparkles from the two branches on his head.

Actually, when she had thought there was only one injured individual, it appeared that there were two: a human and a Girafarig. But if the Pokemon was more or less conscious, the human, most likely the present Pokemon's trainer, was still in a comatose state.

"Let's see that..." She placed her forefinger and middle finger on the man's jugular vein. She could feel his pulse, rather weak, as it happened. She opened one, then the other eyelids to check the pupil, which were reacting to the stimuli of her small torchlight. "All is good. He'll be fine." she promised the Pokemon. She placed him in the recovery position and waited. Focusing her attention on what was going on thought the device on her ear, she still analyzed the injured man's outfit. Black clothes, somewhat military like, a black beret, white gloves and boots. And, of course, a huge red R on his chest.

"Seriously… What a secret organisation." she whispered for herself.

For several minutes, nothing happened and she took advantage of it to remove the last strings of web that were still sticking to her skin, watching the Ditto and his comrades who were all gathered around their trainer and the Girafarig.

"Here, take this..." she said to the four ledged yellow and dark Pokemon, handing him a berry. "It'll help you feel better." The Pokemon starred at her then looked away. "Suit yourself..." she just said, dropping the berry in front of the Girafarig. Then she heard the typical noise of someone waking up. She looked down but it wasn't the Team Rocket grunt.

"_Mr… Mr. Eusine?" _It was Crystal's voice. The young woman was relieved and couldn't help releasing a sigh of happiness and a smile.

"_Oh, you're awake!" _Apparently Eusine was relieved as well.

"_Where are we?"_

"_The highest floor of the Tin Tower. We're inside Suicune's crystal wall. And Suicune… is already gone."_

"_Ah…__ I see."_ Both seemed depressed.

"_It can't be helped. Chris, I'm sure you heard about what happened in Ecruteak about a month ago."_

"_Yes."_

"_The Tin Tower itself collapsed when the ground below it fell through."_

"_Ehh?"_

"_But within less than a month, it has been restored to its previous grandeur. Do you know why it was top priority to restore the tower, even though the city was still in ruins?"_

No answer from Crystal. She must have answered in a non verbal way.

"_The answer lies in this statue. The Gym Leader of Ecruteak City, Morty, is a good friend of mine. He's currently away on some matter. He mentioned that the sinking of the foundation here was Team Rocket's doing."_

That exactly was what the inhabitants of Ecruteak City had claimed. Nothing new here. But such a aimed attack seemed rather strange from Team Rocket. They usually were the kind to hit from the shadow, to hide behind screen and tricks. If only that guy would wake up… Well, if it came to that, she still could use strong arm tactics.

"_The same who tried to catch Suicune?"_

"_The very same. But let me finish. The story tells that if the Tin Tower, the place where Ho-Oh once landed, was to sink, Ho-Oh himself would return, filled with anger at losing his tower and his nest. Team Rocket wanted to test if there was any truth in this story. Morty was worried that Ho-Oh would really return, so he gave instruction to rebuild the tower first amidst travelling. Alas, it might have been all for nothing."_

"_For nothing? Why?"_

"_Look!"_

A gasp then _"The statue is glowing!" _Glowing? That part of the legend was true? Interesting.

"_The glowing of the statue is supposed to mean the return of the owner of this tower. Meaning Ho-Oh is angry and will be back any moment. Suicune must have been hoping to meet Ho-Oh, hence his presence at the Tin Tower. I'm sure."_

That fit rather well with what Akiko and the nurse man had said. So Ho-Oh would soon be here. In the end, their plan had worked. This said, she hadn't learnt anything new. Except that the statue could really glow, that it wasn't a part of the legend. So the rest should be true as well. She had learnt that at least. That and the fact that Crystal was doing well, of course.

"_Where are you going, Mr Eusine?"_

"_To go after Suicune, of course."_ The woman lost interest in the rest of the conversation. She needed answer.

"Make way," she said to the Pokemon, forcing them to leave their trainer's side. "I told you I wasn't going to injure him!" she said sternly. Then focused her attention back at the man. "Hey… Eho. Nap time is over." she said, shaking him by his right shoulder. It was completely inadvised to do so on a fainted person, but eh, she wasn't in a hospital, she wasn't risking any charges. He didn't come back to right away but eventually she didn't have to resort to the worst.

"Hm… Where am I?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. One second later, he was back up on his two legs. "And where is that infuriating proud conjurer of cheap tricks?" He seemed to be doing better to his Pokemon's relief who gathered around him again.

"Hello to you as well." the young woman said, waving at him, a smile plastered on her lips. That caught his attention away from his momentary grievance.

"Wua… Who are you?"

"Just a woman strolling around. I found your Pokemon and they led me to you." It wasn't completely true, but it wasn't completely false either. "Are you feeling better? It seems you got caught up in a rather tough fight."

"Grf..." The man growled. "It wasn't a fair fight. My opponent cheated." He turned to his Girafarig, which was still laying on the ground, berry eaten though, and used a potion on him, which healed the Pokemon enough for him to try and stand up.

"I'm sure he did. And yet… I wonder who is the worst cheater. Your opponent or a member of Team Rocket?"

"What does that mean?"

"That you're not known to be quite fair play…." She changed the tone of her voice. From hard, it became sweet. "But I agree to not arrest you and send you to prison if you answer some of my questions."

"As if you could do that. You don't have any Pokemon and I've four with me."

As if he had given them a command, the Pokemon at his sides took a battle stance. But the young woman didn't lose countenance and took a Pokeball from her bag.

"One will be enough. You're in no shape to fight me."

"Yeah, that's right… Elekid, Spinarak, Girafarig, attack!" At the same moment he was giving his order, his opponent sent her Pokeball in the bushes behind him. "You don't even know where to aim."

"Don't I? Yet it worked just right."

"Wh.. What?" To his great surprise, his Pokemon froze, as if they were stuck, sparkles appearing all around them, even on Elekid.

"A Thunder Wave attack? How could it affect four Pokemon at the same time?"

"I have my resources. And now I want answers."

"Hmf.." he crossed his arms over his chest. "You're losing your time. I'm nothing but a lieutenant, the boss doesn't tell me all his plans."

"Those plans of his don't really interest me." she retorted with a dismissive wave of her hand. "What I want to know is who is this 'boss' you're talking about. As far as we know, Giovanni has disappeared."

"That's correct, but before he left, he passed the torch on to heir whose mission is to take control of the Johto region by capturing the Legendaries, just like he did for the Kanto region.

"With the result that we know of." she countered in a cutting tone. "And who is that heir?"

"Don't count on me to tell you."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Quite simply because I never saw him. I know nothing of him, neither his name nor face." he admitted, looking away. Ashamed?

**Hm… That's quite annoying. **"What can you..." She was interrupted by voices getting louder. Displeased voices.

"What idiots… Beribonned in Leech Seed." A male voice. Still rather young. A teenager most likely.

"Yes I know, Will. You're repeating yourself." a feminine too but clearly adult.

"Th..." The Team Rocket member was interrupted in turn by a hand placed on his mouth.

"Shh… I'd not want they know you saw me. Good night." And the man fell on the ground, at his Pokemon's side, but the young woman had already gone to hid in the cover of the trees.

From her hiding place, she saw two individuals, a girl and a boy, rather small. Both were wearing a mask on their face and strange clothes. Well, the boy's were strange, he looked like a clown with his over sized spotted pants, oversized neck tie and black jacket. The woman was wearing a light grey dress. And had long bluish grey hair. They were followed by a Tauros with two other men laying on its back. They were tied with what looked like vines. **Prisonners?** Couldn't be… The boy had spoken of Leech Seed… They hadn't released them of their bonds.

As they got closed, she retreated until she was next to the tree trunks. She couldn't see them as she'd wish, yet she didn't want to be seen and it wasn't that high a price to pay for discretion.

"And him… What happened to him?" The boy's voice.

"Judging by his Pokemon, he certainly got paralysed." From the branches and leaf, she could make out the girl had knelt beside the fallen man.

"No? You're kidding me, right? They fell into their own trap?" Contempt and amusement showed in his tone.

"So it'd seem."

"What idiots..." He repeated. "Why did the boss decide to use them?"

"Because they were available and that they're canon fodder and idiots we can use to do grunt works. And they're the ideal scapemareep to take the blame."

They forced the Girafarig up, the poor Pokemon obeyed with difficulties, paralysis hindering his moves, but not even once did the two people try to ease his pain. They placed the grunt on the Pokemon's back and commanded the other Pokemon to follow them.

"_Wh… What?"_

She was about to follow that Will and his girl friend to know where they were going when the exclamation she heard in her earpiece stopped her. She then heard a splash, like a rock thrown into water. Then sobs.

"_What's happening to me?" _The woman looked at the couple going away, disappearing in the depth of the forest. Yet the sobs into the earpieces grew stronger. Growling, she renounced following her preys. She had to go help her daughter. That mission was more important than any other. Without a look backwards, she went back towards Ecruteak City.


	4. Chapter 4 : Family Reunion

Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.

4 – Family Reunion

Her first stop was to the Tin Tower. She had tried to track Crystal using the GPS that was included in every Pokegear, but she hadn't been able to get any information on her location. She hoped she'd get some clues about her daughter's whereabout once at the tower.

The sun was setting down slowly on the horizon when she arrived at Ecruteak City for the second time this day and nothing looked different than before except for the landslide damage being more repaired than they were. The surrounding areas around the Tower were quiet. Nobody seemed to come near the Tower. There didn't even seem to be a watchman or a security guard. She shouldn't be surprised anyway. There have been a Pokemon battle, with a legendary, no less, and none had bothered to come.

"Some people can be so clueless when they don't want to see what is standing right in front of them." she muttered for herself, as she climbed a tree and jumped over the wall enclosing the building. She elegantly landed near a patch of water that may have been a pretty looking pool, but now was just a mess of rock and mud. This was were Crystal's Hitmonchan had hit the ground during the battle.

"Good luck cleaning that mess…" This wasn't her problem. From what she had heard of the conversation between Crystal and this Eusine, both had been to the room with Ho-Oh statue. Yet her daughter wasn't going to remain up there, unless Ho-Oh happened to be there too. Had he been, Crystal would have tried to catch him. However she hadn't been sounding like she had met another legendary Pokemon.

Actually…. The blond woman looked at the brown water. There were a few Pokemon around who were now showing up. They had seen the intruder wasn't a threat to them. There _had_ been a splash sound in what she had heard. The trainer had thought that it was a rock falling into the pool. Yet… what if it had been a Pokeball? Would it mean Cris had tried to catch a Pokemon and missed her target? She looked more closely at the pond and the grass nearby until she spotted what she was dreading to find. A regular Pokeball covered in mud.

"You wouldn't have used such a basic device on Suicune, you know better…" she muttered as she cleaned the red and white machine. It sported the small black star sticker Crystal always put on her balls so she'd recognise them. "Who had you wanted to use it on?" Looking up, the Pokemon trainer paid a long look at the Pokemon that went on their business. The many Wooper got her attention first, but she dismissed them. Now wasn't the time to get sidetracked. Diglett could be seen under the turned over soil and she could hear the fluttering wings of Hoot-Hoot and Zubat from up above. A soft noise coming from her left got her attention.

"You!" She exclaimed. The poor Psyduck froze in his steps when he heard her sudden outburst, as if hoping her vision was based on movement. He showed bruises on his head as well as some cuts on his body. This one had partaken in a battle and it was highly unlikely it was due to Suicune.

"Psyyyyduck!" The yellow colored Pokemon cried, trying to get away in a panic when the blond haired trainer quickly made her way to him. But to no avail, she was much to fast for him.

"Calm down." she gently said once she had cornered him and had him in her hands. "I don't want to capture you. I just want to help you." A Water Gun move was the Pokemon's answer to her kind words. She merely laughed as she moved her head out of the way of the spurt. "Com'on, don't do that." she pleaded, petting him on the head. The Pokemon panicked at first, but relaxed as his wounds started to get healed.

"See? It wasn't that bad. Now, I need to know one little thing. Have you seen this girl?" she asked, showing a picture of her and Crystal. Psyduck could look dumb, yet they weren't. By far. And this one proved it when it had a scared expression. "So you have seen her." She said, putting the picture back in her wallet. "She is the one who gave you these injuries, isn't she?" she went on, petting the Pokemon where one of the bruises had been. "Urgh…" She hadn't expected the Psyduck to use his psychic powers on her.

The yellow water type Pokemon sent memories that were clear as day. It was as if she had been here when Crystal had attempted the capture. And failed. Three times she had tried, three times she had missed, the last pokeball falling into the water. She ultimately had dropped to her knees, the Psyduck taking his chance to flee while the girl was screaming "What is happening to me?"

"So that's what has happened… Thank you little guy, you were of much help. A shame you aren't shiny, I'd have captured you." she statted with a smile. She then got up and, with a smile, waved him good bye. However she didn't leave just yet. She went to the spot she had 'seen' Crystal falling, obviously disheartened. It was hard to, on a stony ground, fortunately, the earth that had been shattered had left dust and dirt all around. It made it easy for the trainer to pick up Crystal's trail and follow her.

Crystal had left the Tin Tower to go through Ecruteak City. People remembered having seen a young brown haired girl, with a red top, pink jacket and blue and yellow shorts crossing the city.

"She looked lost in her thoughts, her Chikorita 'ad to run to keep up with her." A man replied to her inquiries. "And 'er clothes were rather diry. Y'know, like she 'ad been in a tough battle. Yet she didn' answer when I ask'd 'er if she needed help."

"I see… You'd not happen to know where she has gone to?"

"She went that way," he said, pointing towards the eastern exit of the city. "I tol' 'er it wasn' a good idea to go alone at such a late 'our, but she could as well 'ave been deaf. I 'ope she is in no trouble. With these Rocket guys around…"

"So do I…" she muttered. The city opened on Route 42. A nice beaten path spreading between Ecruteak City and Mahogany Town with Mt Mortar on the north. it was much easier to know where Crystal had been as she had left a trail of Pokeballs in her wake.

Crystal's mother eventually found her daughter down a river bank on the roadside. The young trainer wasn't alone, she had let all of her team out of their Pokeballs. And they all looked rather depressed. Crystal was saying something that her mother couldn't hear, but she didn't need to know what it was. The point was, Crystal was at an all time low. The blond haired woman silently got up and got her Wobbuffet out.

"Shhhh!" she whispered, placing her hand on the blue Pokemon's mouth before he could shout his cry. She then pointed at Cristal. "We have to think of a way to shake her up. Any idea Wobbuffet?"

The Pokemon didn't give any answer except his mumbled name as his trainer still had her hand over his mouth. But it seemed it was more than enough for her. "You're a genius Wobbuffet!" she said with excitement. She was pointing at a small Azumarill that was passing by them, not paying them any mind. It was most likely making its way to the river.

"Wobbuffet, we need that Pokemon!" she whispered to her pokemon. "Make sure it doesn't go away. Oh, wait…" she said, taking the basket from her partner. "We can't afford to lose this. And it'd just hinder your movements. Now, Wobbuffet, Tickle!"

Her Pokemon comically rushed at the target she had pointed. The Azumarill was caught off guard and found itself being tackled to the ground. Fortunately it wasn't injured in anyway. However, it was twiching and moving its limbs erratically as the Patient Pokemon used the soft grass and the silky fur on his appendage to tease his victim. Eventually, the water Pokemon managed to get out of its opponent's grasp. It appeared that this Azumarill wasn't the fighting sort. Instead of fighting back, it tried to run away.

"Not in that direction. We need to have it run towards Crystal. Wobbuffet, Mirror Coat!" she commanded her Pokemon.

Quickly concentrating, the black tailed Pokemon hardened the surrounding air and humidity, creating mirror walls right in front of the fleeing Azumarill. It ran straight into it, surprised at the sudden obstacle. And it was even more surprised when it saw itself looking back in the mirror, quickly replaced by Wobbuffet. And still it didn't fight but ran in the opposite direction. Where it saw another Wobbuffet. And another when it turned right. No matter where it turned, Wobbuffet was always there.

"Wild Pokemon…" she muttered as she watched the Azumarill running in the mirror maze her Pokemon had created, trying to escape the Wobbuffet, to no avail. Following the blond trainer's plan, and to her great pleasure, it was running straight in the direction she had wanted it to go from the start. **And now, let the show begin!** She thought with delight. She started running after the Azumarill, giggling and smiling brightly.

"Wait for me! Stop !" she exclaimed joyfully as she ran. Wobbuffet was trying to keep up with her. "I wanna catch that Azumarill. I wanna! I wanna! I wanna!" she cried in a typically childish tone.

It'd be impossible for Crystal not to hear her. Even if she was in a depressed state, she would at least recognize her mother's voice. Of course, Crystal got up, obviously looking surprised to see her mother. After all, they hadn't seen each other for a while, as the young trainer was always busy taking care of children at the Pokemon Academy. And she certainly didn't expect to see her mother wandering in the area.

"MOM?" the brown girl cried out.

"Hm?" She faked noticing Crystal's presence. "Cris!" She jumped of hapiness that wasn't fake. She was sincerelly delighted to see her daughter from up close and it was all she could for her not to hug her tight. "What are you doing here?" she asked instead. "I can't believe that we found each other by accident! Can you believe it?" Was it too much? She wondered.

Either way, Crystal didn't answer. And her mother didn't let her much time to speak anyway. "Why don't you say anything? Don't be shy, sweetie. Isn't it great?!" she blurted, patting – a bit harder than she had wanted to – her daughter on the back.

"Huh… Yeah…." Cris really needed to be cheered up. Her mother reported her attention away from Crystal to her Pokemon that were being infected by the blond haired woman's enthusiasm.

"Buddies! Long time no see!" she called out to them, running from one to the other. She greeted them all with a hug or a pat. They all seemed happy to see her again, especially Arckee she petted more than the others. She looked down between the massive fire Pokemon's legs. "Whoa! You've got a Chikorita in your team now!" she said, taking the small grass Pokemon in her arms, disconcerting the green creature. "That's so awesome!"

"Do you still nickname them, as I taught you?" she asked Crystal, turning her head to her daughter.

"Y… Yeah. His name is Megaree." she answered in a gloomy voice. This made her mother let go of 'Megaree' who was clearly happy to be back on all four and on the ground.

"You don't look too chipper…" she said, her enthusiasm toned down. Being too expansive could have the opposite effect that she wanted and have Crystal clam up. "It's incredible that we meet here!" she said, putting her basket on the ground. "I was just about to call you." She opened the basket, revealing the many different balls it contained. Lure Balls, Moon Balls, Heavy Balls… You named it. "Here you are! Special Pokeballs! All made by Master Kurt!" she proudly said. "I thought you should be running low by now."

"Th… Thank you mom…"

And now for the test. "You see that Azumarill?" she was pointing at the Pokemon she had hunted down the river. It was still around, enjoying the bath it had been wanting to take. Its previous 'battle' against Wobbuffet to the very presence of human beings in the area completely forgotten. "I want you to catch it for me! Can you do it? Please?"

She noticed Crystal's glint in her eyes when she looked away. "None of my ball reached it! And I wanna see you use that superkick of yours…." the blond woman went on. "You know, when you use your feet to throw the ball!" she was kicking in the air as if to show her daughter what she meant. "It's fast, so don't miss it!" she added as extra advice. "Huh?"

Just as before when she had spotted her sitting near the river, Crystal looked down and in the verge of tears. But her mother wasn't going to give up. Crystal needed to find her confidence again and if she refused to try and catch Pokemon again, her gift at catching Pokemon would be as good as gone. She placed herself in front of the brown haired girl, hands on her hips. She didn't need to be a Psychic to know what Crystal was going through. She could feel the tension and fear running through the young girl's body.

"Well, go ahead. What are you waiting for?

"Sure…" She was pleased to see Crystal taking one of the pokeballs she had left and a smile grew on her lips when her daughter used her powerful kick to throw the device to the pokemon. The smile disappeared as soon as she saw the ball bouncing on the Azumarill's belly and sink in the water. It didn't even go off. Wobbuffet emited a sound of dismay while Crystal's pokemon looked disappointed.

"Cris! What the heck was that?" the woman cried, seizing the girl by her shoulders. "Your timing… Your speed… Your aim… It was worse than an amateur… Are you sick or something?" she placed her hand on Crystal's forehead, as if checking if she had any fever.

Her motherly reaction seemed to do the work. Tears appeared on the corner of Crystal's eyes as she stammered a few words in between sobs. "I… I just… I can't… do it anymore…" She sniffed. "I can't… I can't capture anything…"

"Why… Why do you say that?" she asked gently.

"I… I fought a really strong Pokemon today… And I…. I lost. I failed catching it." she said, forcing the words out. "Since… Since then… I have lost my moves…" Crystal showed her hand to her mother who noticed she was shaking. "Help… Help me mom." How long ago had Crystal stopped asking her mother for help? She couldn't remember, but it hit her hard.

"I… I took on this important mission from Professor Oak himself." Words were now pouring out of Crystal. "And… And now… I won't be able to keep my promise. I don't know what to do anymore…" Tears were running freely down the pre-teen's cheeks. She tried to dry them with the sleeve of her jacket. More kept coming.

The blond trainer let her speak, starring at Crystal, though she threw some glances at the Pokemon who were also showing sadness, mirroring their trainer's feelings. When Cris mentionned the Professor, the young woman was reminded of the visit she had paid to Earl Devish several days ago when she was passing by Violet City, hoping to see her daughter again.

He had been so proud to show her the new school building that a generous, however anonymous, benefactor had paid to repair. He had been less happy to tell her that Crystal was gone. Not because she had missed her by a few days, or that he missed her. Rather because he now had to do all the work Crystal usually managed to do on her own. And he wasn't that skilled for it. Or he didn't have the required knowledge to do it anyway.

So, it had been Professor Oak all along. She starred long at Crystal, showing no expression.

"Cris…" she said at least. "When you took on this mission for Professor Oak… You asked for something in exchange, didn't you?" Her daughter wordlessly nodded, confirming what she supposed. "This means it is a **job**! You must show responsibility! You do **it **until it's complete!"

Crystal still seemed caught up in despair, not looking up at her mother. Tears were still running down the young trainer's cheeks who didn't even try to dry them or stop crying. The woman hadn't raised her daughter to revel in despair. Quite the contrary. She had tried to teach her to always get back on her feet and go on, no matter the difficulties. Seeing Crystal so… unlike herself… The blond trainer raised her hand and, as the last time all those years ago, slapped her daughter.

The impact was hard enough to resonate in the plain and to snap Crystal out of it. She looked at her mother, a dumbfounded look on her face as she rubbed her painful cheek.

"Stop it!" She said, her voice hard and cold like ice, contrasting with the childish happiness she usually showed when around her daughter. "You're a pro now! A pro **I** trained myself! So act like such instead of crying at the first difficulty."

More than the slap, it was seeing her mother so unlike herself that did the trick. Crystal just didn't know how to react to this change of behavior and it cut the flow of tears. The silence between the two humans stretched, only troubled by the water softly lapping and the Azumarill playing with the Pokeball in which it'd never get.

"You know… I believe you are quite strained." Crystal's mother said at least. "You should get some rest and fresh air…" She said, turning back from Crystal and starting to climb up the low hill leading to the actual road that had the number 42, her Wobbuffet coming after her. "I have an idea… Why don't you go back to the place where you first trained?"

Crystal didn't answer, but her mother could feel her daughter's eyes focused on her back as her suggestion was sinking through. "However, let's not think about it tonight..." she said, with a laugh. She turned around and waved at Crystal, a bright smile back on her lips. "Are you coming my sweetie pie?"


	5. Chapter 5 : At Home

**Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.**

**5\. Home**

The travel home went fast. Even though it wasn't quite 'home' so to say as Crystal and her mother had their home back in the suburban area of Violet City. This small building what the place they went to when Crystal's parents felt they needed some vacation time away from every day life's stress.

"So, how is Professor Oak?" Crystal's mother was asking. Since it had been decided Cris was going to go back to her training place, her mother had been acting as curious as ever, and as excited as the young trainer remembered her to be. "Is he as knowledgeable as people claim he is? And how did you find yourself working for him?"

"Well…" she could see Crystal was struggling for words. "I saw an add in a newspaper," the dark haired girl answered at last. "Someone named Bill was looking for someone to catch Pokemon. And… well…"

"You're the best Pokemon catcher there is!" her mother completed with a huge smile, patting Crystal on the arm. "Of course you were the one for this job! Though… I thought you worked for Professor Oak?"

"Oh… I do. I made some researches about this Bill and I found that he was born here, in Johto. In Goldenrod City, to be exact. And that he was the one who built the Pokemon Storage System in both Kanto and Johto. And that he worked with Professor Oak. So I sent Bill a message with a time and date for an appointment at the Pokemon Academy."

"And? Come on Cris, don't made me beg. Tell me! How did the meeting go?" the older trainer pleaded. "Was he nice? Did he give you a job interview? Did he ask for reference?"

"No! Well, he was nice. However…" Crystal rubbed the back of her head. "we were being attacked by Slugma. They had broken the fence of the Academy and had little Amelia cornered. You remember her?"

The blond haired trainer thought for a bit, as if she was trying to recall who 'little Amelia' was, when in truth, she was thinking about the Slugma's presence. Usually those Pokemon lived near volcanoes as it was required for them to stay in extremely hot environment, their blood being magma like. For them to go down to such colder place was unexpected. "Dark haired, five year old, always has a pink headband in her hair. And her Pokemon is a… Sentret." she said at last. "Did I get it right?"

"Yes… That's just her! You got the highest mark on your test." Crystal said with a smile mirroring the one of her mother.

"I knew it. Told you, I am the best. So, Professor Oak saved her?"

"Not quite." Crystal answered. "I asked Earl Dervish to bring the kids to the basement and I almost got burnt by one of the Pokemon's fire moves. It just got my skirt though," she added quickly when she heard her mother gasping. "And the professor helped extinguish it with his lab coat." She had a small laugh. "Can you imagine that I didn't know until then that it was the renowned Professor Pokemon?"

"Really?" the adult trainer raised a brow. "Come on Cris… You didn't even look for the picture of your future employer? It's not as if he wasn't well known."

"I know, I know. I wanted to do it… But I got caught up with the children asking me for stories and questions about Pokemon…. And I thought that it was Bill I was going to meet. I didn't think the famous Professor Oak would come in person…" Crystal countered, getting increasingly embarrassed by the minute, her cheek taking a reddish shade. "Anyway… Once I knew everyone was in a safe place, I took my Pokemon out and I asked Arckee and Monlee to help." Cristal explained, petting her big fire Pokemon's mane, to his delight. "With their Extreme Speed and Mach Punch, they could defend Amelia before the Slugma burned her or her Sentret." Crystal had a sweet smile growing on her lips. "She looked so relieved, she rushed to my arms."

"That's understandable." And it explained the first and second degree burns she had to treat when her parents brought her at the hospital. Hopefully it wouldn't leave Amelia with too bad a trauma against Fire type Pokemon. "And then you defeated the Slugma along Professor Oak? It must have been so cool to be his partner. How does he battle?"

"I… don't know. The Slugma had been rather… angered that we freed Amelia. So he suggested we catch them before they made any more damage. I asked Smoochee to use her Mean Look so they'd not leave and create havoc elsewhere and Parasee threw her Spore on them. And that's how I was able to catch them all!"

"My! That beat any job interview!" Crystal's mother exclaimed. "He saw your talent at work. He must have been amazed."

"He was indeed." Crystal agreed. That's when I told Professor Oak I was the one who had answered to his job offer. For some reasons, he was … I don't know… Surprised? As if he hadn't been expecting me…"

"I'd not know." Crystal's mother answered evasively as they arrived in front of the house. In itself, it wasn't much, a small two stories high house, all bleached in white, some ivy growing up in one side, right bellow Crystal's bedroom's window. "You shouldn't overthink it!" she said at last, wrapping her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "Did he send you on your capture trip after that?"

"Not right away." Crystal replied as her mother unlocked the door. Only her Chikorita followed them inside, all of her other Pokemon seemed to prefer remaining outside "He had workers come and repair the Academy's compound. You should have seen the happiness on the children's face. It was so cute. I was sad to leave them." the young girl finished, looking down.

"They were sad you had to go as well." her mother said. "A lot of them came to the hospital to ask me where you went."

"Oh… What did you tell them?"

"That you'd be back soon and that you'd not like to hear they have been sad. And that you'd have a surprise for them, of course." the blond haired trainer said, going to the kitchen where she dropped her bag on the table.

"Mom!" Cristal exclaimed, placing her backpack on an empty chair. "You shouldn't make promise for other people like this."

"What? That's the truth. You've been catching so many Pokemon, and from what you told me, you'll have a lot of stories to tell them. You know how much they love when you tell them things about Pokemon."

"Yeah… Well, I may be back soon anyway. I can't catch Pokemon anymore, the Pokedex is broken and without it, I can't do anything to help the professor."

"About this… What's a Pokedex?"

"It's a device the Professor had made," Crystal answered, rummaging through her bag until she found the red machine. "It gathers all datas there is on Pokemon." she handed it to her mother, opening the top cover that was hiding a screen. Usually black, it showed nothing but static.

"So that's a Pokedex." the woman said, looking at it under every angles. "I expected something more… impressive… ? Yet it's more easily transported than the huge encyclopedia on Pokemon we had back then when I was your age."

"Come on mom… You're not that old!"

"I am not old at all you mean!" Crystal's mother countered in a fake offended tone. "Have you told Professor Oak about your situation?" she then asked. "You should go talk to him about this,I am certain he can repair it easily."

"Actually…" Crystal blushed under her mother's stern gaze. "I thought about it!" She said quickly as a defense. "But… The Pokedex wasn't the only thing that broke during the battle…" She took her Pokegear out of the pocket of her pink jacket and put it on the table, next to the Pokedex her mother had placed there. She took it and checked it just like she had checked the red device, with a circumspect look. At least this was something she knew a bit about.

She tried to turn it on only to see that the screen was completely cracked and that, just like the Pokedex, the screen didn't work. Unlike the Pokedex though, the applications seemed to work. Or at least the call application, as she managed to call her own Pokegear number.

"I see. How unlucky… Here, you can use mine." she handed her Pokegear to her daughter. "You remember his phone number, don't you?"

"Yes, sure…. I'll call him." The brown haired girl hesitantly took the Pokegear and left the kitchen. She took off her shoes, leaving both her shoes and jacket in the closet in the hall and headed upstair to her room.

"That's a good idea!" her mother exclaimed, following Crystal. "And don't worry, sweety. I am sure he won't be mad." she promised, giving the young trainer her most reassuring smile. "And if he is, just give me the phone and I'll give him a piece of my mind."

"Eh… Thank you mom." And with it, the young girl disappeared upstair.

"I'll call you for dinner once it's ready."

"Thank you mom," came Crystal's answer from her room, right before the sound of a door closing was heard.

"Come Wobbee. And you too Megaree." the blond trainer said, turning to the small green Pokemon that had been walking around, discovering this new environment, and was about to climb up the stairs. "She needs space and you need to eat, don't you, little guy?"

She went back to the kitchen, followed by her faithful Wobbuffet and a confused Chikorita. "I'll start with feeding the known cast, alright?" she was saying in a sing song tone. She opened a cupboard below the counter and took a big bag of Pokemon dry food. "Never seen one this size before, have you?" she commented to Megaree when she saw it moving back. "I always keep some here, you never know when it can come in handy. And Arckee is a big boy. He needs a lot to eat." she was saying, placing several handfuls of the food in a huge bowl.

She then gave it to her Psychic pokemon. "Here, Wobbuffet. Be a dear and take it to Arckee. I am sure he has been waiting for it."

"Wooobbuuffet…" the pokemon answered, leaving the kitchen.

"Now for Monlee and Bonee…" She selected some cans from the shelves besides the fridge. "I prefer they eat inside, but the weather isn't that cold. And I know they'd like to share a meal with their friends. Natee is a bit different… She likes to rest above the kitchen window." she said, pointing outside. "That's where she made her nest when she first arrived with Crystal once her catching Pokemon training trip was done." She sighed.

"You know Megaree, when my little baby came back accompanied with so many new partners, I had been so thrilled. I hadn't been expecting her to have made friends up there. Quite the contrary actually. I had thought that we would go on a trip where I'd be helping her catch her first Pokemon. And here she was, with five new pokemon and no reason to go on a mother-daughter bonding journey. You can't even start to imagine how proud I was of her that day." she said, her voice dreamy and her eyes staring into space.

"Woobbuuffeet…" The cry of the blue Pokemon interrupted the trainer's reverie.

"But eh, that happened three years ago. I don't have to dwell on it and the opportunity I lost, do I?" she had a smile to Megaree. "Here, we'll take that to Monlee and Bonee. I have some seeds and berries for Natee outside, as well as Parasee's special meal." She made her way outside, Megaree on her heels.

A soft breeze was blowing in the branches of the surrounding trees, ruffling the leaves and the trainer's blond hair. The sun was almost down on the horizon, making the sky an incredible palet of red, yellow and orange slowly turning to purple and blue where small white dots were scattered. All in all, it displayed a beautiful array of colors. Crystal's Pokemon were nearby, her Arcanine laying on his back, stretching and resting after a good meal, Monlee sitting at his side and Bonee slowly poking a pine cone with his bone.

"Here you are my sweeties." she said, placing the food before the Pokemon. "And don't eat too fast. Yes, I am talking to _you_ Bonee. I haven't forgotten that time you threw up on Chris' slippers." She looked away from the sheepish brown Pokemon when she heard a sweet trill. "Hey Natee. I haven't forgotten you either," she giggled when the small Natu landed on her shoulder and rubbed her feathery head against her cheek. "I have your meal right here."

Next to the house was a modest garden where she grew, or rather, where berry trees and bushes grew the way they wanted. She picked a few fruits that were the ripest and put them on the kitchen windowsill along a few seeds. Natee hopped down the trainer's shoulder and emitted some more notes in a high pitched tone.

"You're welcome," she sang back, taking a shovel that stood against a wall and brought a spadeful to Parasee. The big orange Pokemon used her claw-like appendages to bring some of the dirt to his mouth. Crystal's Chikorita showed some interest into the content of it. going as far as taking a bit of it with his vine and tasting it.

"Eh… Are you sure you'd not like some mineral water?" she asked, pourring some into a bowl. "I suppose you had had a lot of sun today. Let's not get you completely dehydrated." she completed. Megaree stared at his reflection in the water then tentatively took a sip under the trainer's attentive eyes.

"Alright, that's done..." she muttered for herself with a smile, going back to the kitchen. She selected a few vegetable from the fridge and placed them in a waterfull pressure cooker on a low fire. She then turned around to take the Pokedex. "Now, what to do with it…"

She brought the red machine to a back room where her home office was. On one side was her desk, covered by many files that she had needed to keep at hand. She switched on the light and then the computer that stood in the middle of the mess. On two of the remaining walls stood several bookshelves many of them were full to the brim with books and binders in seemingly no obvious orders, some binders showing no name or information about their content.

She sat down at her desk and opened the back cover of the device, expecting to find some memory cards once she'd have removed the battery. But nothing.

"So, you hid it inside. How clever." she muttered. "Well, that's not going to defeat me." Next to the window was a small cupboard where she kept tools for occasion just like this one. It took her a few minutes to find the proper tool, but she eventually got the Pokedex to open.

"So, that's where it was…" she exhaled with a smile after some time. To be fair, she was amazed at the technological work. Though she had never seen something like this, it didn't take her too long to find what the problem was. "Oh, Cris, that's nothing too bad." she hummed. She fought against the urge to repair it. No need for her daughter to know she had been tempering with her Pokedex. However she took the memory card.

It was smaller than what she had expected from what Crystal had told told her about it. She placed it on her computer anyway. Soon enough a window appeared on screen showing all recorded datas that Crystal had been gathering on the many different Pokemon from both Johto and Kanto.

Seeing the amount of it, the blond haired woman couldn't help but let out of whistle of amazement. "My… You really are the catcher, aren't you?" If the information showing on her screen were to be believed, and she couldn't think of any reason not to trust them; Crystal had managed to catch over one hundred Pokemon between the moment she had been issued the Pokedex and now. She watched the datas flashing by. Apparently, for several species of Pokemon had been caught more than one specimen when there were physical differences, mostly in color and in size.

"That's going to take a long while…" she muttered to herself. "And I still have a lot to do…" she went on, handling the red framework. "Yet… That's going to interest him, that's for sure, what do you…?" the question she was about to ask her Wobbuffet stopped mid-sentence when a low 'thud' could be heard.. "Hey, what are you doing here?" she exclaimed as she spotted her daughter's Chikorita. The small green Pokemon froze where it stood, next to the photo album he had knocked over.

"Sorry little guy, you can't come in here. That's my personal territory, alright? Not for everyone to wander in." she said with a smile. "Now, let me guess… You are still hungry? A good green boy like you, you need to eat a lot, don'tcha?" she added in a childish voice, leaving the room and locking it shut once her Wobbuffet had left.

The blond trainer was checking the soup she had cooked when Crystal entered in the kitchen. Megaree rushed to her and hugged her with his vines. He almost made her trip but she caught her balance. She knelt down to take him in his arms and stroked him.

"How did he take the news?" her mother asked, her back turned to Crystal.

"Not too bad, I suppose." she answered as she sat down to her 'usual'place with a sigh. "In any case, he wasn't outwardly mad at me. He didn't scream nor blame me nor anything… Though… I'd have liked if he had… He is way too nice and I failed him… If only I had been more careful…"

The adult trainer turned around, facing her daughter, and shook her head. "If… If… That's not how the world works. Accidents can happen, you can't predict every one of them. Did he ask you to give the Pokedex back to him?"

"No. He said that I could take some rest if I needed. And that he was going to send someone to check on the Pokedex once I was near some town. He also told me that I should spend time with my family." she added with a smile after a small pause.

"Oh, he did, didn't he? That's a really great professor then! He knows what's best for you." the grown up laughed, hugging her daughter, surprising Megaree who fled from his trainer's knees.

Crystal didn't answer anything but smiled back at her mother. She placed two bowls full of soup on the table then sat across the young trainer.

"Now, let's talk business." she sternly said, staring at Crystal. "What have you done with Smochee? You haven't released the Pokemon I have given you, have you?"


	6. Chapter 6: Family Bonding

**Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.**

6 - Bonding

"He looks kinda cute." Crystal's mother said at last. Crystal had been telling her of her encounter with Suicune at the Tin Tower and how she had first met him in Olivine City. Though 'seen' or 'caught of glimpse of' would be closer to the truth. She then had gone after the creature and that's when she had crossed another Suicune's hunter whose photograph her mother now had in her hand.

It showed a light brown haired man wearing a dark purple tuxedo and a red bow tie under a white cloak. He looked like a sort of magician. He had written "With lots of luv, Signed Eusine" on it. "Eusine… What sort of name is that?"

"His name... He is a nice person, I suppose." the young trainer said with a faint blush on her cheek. "And he helped me when I fell down the Tin Tower." As soon as those words escaped her mouth, Crystal gasped and looked away.

"What was that?" the blond haired woman asked, looking away from the picture to report her glare straight and sternly at the girl.

"I… Well… I fell from the tower." she mumbled, fiddling with her fork the food that was left in her plate. "That's… that's how I broke the Pokedex…"

"And why didn't you tell me right away?" She suddenly got up, and walked to Crystal. "Are you hurt?" She took her hand and checked her daughter's pulse, then her forehead for any fever or injury that could be hidden under her thick dark hair.

"No, I… I am alright mom… You saw me earlier…"

"I am the doc here. And what I saw earlier was an usually optimistic lady sitting and crying all by herself, dwelling into her hole of despair. That could be the sign of a skull break and mental damage." Truth be told, she had been wanting to check her since she had heard Crystal falling down. However there was no possibility she could go and start a medical check-up without any reason, not if she wanted to keep secret the fact she had been spying on her daughter.

"You're not even specialized in brain and skull injury," Crystal retorted with a half smile, trying to push her mother's hands away from her head. "Beside I fell on my bottom…. Are you going to check that too?"

"Don't tempt me." the older woman said, patting her daughter on the back of her head. "I did check your bottom more than once." She got up again and picked up the dirty plates and cuttlery to place them in the sink.

"I was a baby…" Crystal said, rubbing her head were her mother had 'hit' her as her mother was taking two bowls from the fridge, catching Megaree's attention. When she put it down before the young trainer, Crystal could see that it was actually a fruit salad.

"You still are my baby." the adult countered, both sternly and with emotion in her voice, sitting down across her daughter. "Don't take that away from me. You are already growing way too fast for my taste."

"Moo-om… You can't keep me stuck at home forever."

"Oh, you think I can't?" her mother retorted, starring into her daughter's eyes, her chin resting on the back of her overlapping palms. The continuous glare got her daughter to gulp and look embarrassed, toying with her fork. "Perhaps I should…" she added after a while, crossing her arms over her chest. "Last time I let you go on your catching adventure, you know what happened…"

"Yes…" Crystal answered, toying with her fork.

"You came back with so many friends _and_ an imaginative and original new way to catch Pokemon!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands, to her daughter's surprise. "I don't see how you can ever have a trip to beat that!"

"Well… Trying to catch a Pokemon like Suicune can come close." Crystal suggested, a small smile growing on her lips.

"I can only take your word for this, given I have never met the creature." the adult said, seizing her fork and jabbing it into a piece of Oran berry. "How is Suicune? Is it really like my old encyclopediae says?"

"I don't know. I have no idea what your book say about it. What I can tell you is that Suicune is a very majestic Pokemon." she answered, her voice turned dreamy and her eyes staring into space. "And he is so dignified… You should have seen him standing at the top of the Tin Tower, looking down on people in his icy glory. He looks so amazing and proud. A true masterpiece. So graceful and lovely… Even though I was in the middle of a battle, all I could see was his elegant beauty." She suddenly gave a start, as if waking from a dream and shook her head, frowing. "My… I am starting to sound like Eusine."

"My, my… He does seem to have quite a crush on Suicune, doesn't he?" the blond woman asked after she had swallowed a few more fruits. "You should eat," she added, using her fork to point at the bowl in front of her daughter, laying still untouched. "The berries come from the garden."

"An interest," Crystal corrected, picking up her fork but still not eating even though she did jab it into a Bluk Berry, its juice coloring the other fruits in purple. "He has told me he had been looking for Suicune for the past ten years."

"Ten years?" the adult exclaimed. "He doesn't look that old though. Does he?" she went on, raising a brow as she eyed the picture laying next to her hand. "I wonder when he started looking for this 'majestic' Pokemon. Do you know what got him so interested in Suicune?"

"I… don't know. Now I think of it, I don't know much about Eusine." Crystal admitted, toying once again with her food.

"Yet, you saw him battling, didn't you? You certainly got to learn something about him." Crystal's mother looked eagerly at her daughter. "And don't play with your food. It's to be eaten." she sternly added.

With a sigh, Crystal brought the Bluk Berry to her mouth and took some bites. The usually dry berry was moist from the fruit salad juice, some of it dropping on her chin and the sugary taste filled her mouth. She quickly took her napkin to prevent the drop from falling on her shirt and permanently dirtying it.

"Not really." she replied at least, wiping her shin that still showed some purple spots under her lips. "He left me when some members of Team Rocket intervened to try and prevent us from following Suicune. And when I saw him again, it was after my fall. I had just come back to my sense. We were at the top of the Tower and he told me Suicune had left. He also shared about the legend of Ho-Oh. I… I actually never saw him battling." Crystal fell silent, seeming so deep in thought that her mother didn't dare disturb her. "Oh Mom… What if he really was a member of Team Rocket?" she cried out of the blue, taking her mother by surprise who almost chocked on what she was eating.

"What…? What makes you think that?" she asked at last, after she had swallowed a glassful of water.

"Don't you think it's quite convenient that I left him with three oponents and he manages to get rid of all of them? Not only that, but he took a very important item from them." Crystal looked rather frantic.

** The crystal bell**, she thought. She wondered where that item was now. Probably still with Eusine. Or maybe he had handed it to Morty. She couldn't tell Crystal she had had a talk with one of those Team Rocket members and, if the gut feeling she had happened to be correct, Eusine couldn't be one of them. That Rocket had been genuinely mad at the magician when she had woken him up.

"The very item that was necessary to get past Suicune's barrier." Crystal muttered. Oh Mom… I am such a fool for trusting him."

"Woa… Calm down, calm down." she gently said, moving to sit next to the brown haired girl. "I think I really am going to ask for a brain check up." she wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders.

"Now listen to Mommy. Why would he purposedly stay behind? It'd have been better if he had followed you to the tower and got you to do all the work of weakening Suicune and _only then_ try and catch the beast. Moreover, why wouldn't the other members of Team Rocket have gone with him?" she asked. "You said he was all alone with you when you woke up, didn't you?"

"Yes…. I think…"

"You think or you were?" Even though she was focused on her daughter, the blond woman did notice from the corner of her eyes that Megaree had jumped on her seat and was eagerly looking at what berries were left in her bowl. He 'discreetely' seized one with the leaf on his head and ate it.

"We were alone. There were none else… And Suicune was gone." She said again. "But what if they had caught him? I can't check where Suicune is with the pokemon tracker, as the Pokedex is broken…"

**The Pokemon tracker? That could come in handy. **

"Crystal… You're extrapolating again…" her mother said with a smile. "You can't know that without proof. Give him the benefit of the doubt." She released her daughter from her embrace and brushed her bangs away from her forehead. "From what you have told me, I can conclude a few things. For one," she said, raising her forefinger, "he is rather good at Pokemon battle if he did manage to take out three members of Team Rocket. Second," she raised her middle finger, "he must be strong if he managed to carry you all the way to the top of the tower. And third," she raised her thumb. "he is quite dedicated if he has spent ten years of his life looking for a legendary Pokemon. All in all, those are quite good qualities in a man. And on top of it all, he is rather cute. What do you think?"

"I… Yes… I guess you are right." the young trainer admited in a low voice as Megaree climbed on the table and sniffed the liquid in the salad bowl.

"And if you ever date him, don't hesitate to introduce him to me." she said with a wink.

"Mooom!" Crystal exclaimed, her cheek taking the shade of a Tamato berry. "He is much older than me!"

"So what? Your dad is older than me and when I was your age, I'd not have paid him any attention." Megaree quietly sat on the table, looking at the two humans who were talking. He seemed interested in what they were saying, yet his vines were picking the berries from his trainer's bowl, one by one.

"That's not the same thing at all. Dad is only four year older than you are. He… Eusine looks like he is ten years older than me."

"Ten, you think? I'd have said eight…" the blond trainer said, looking again at the picture.

"That's not the point! I am much too young for him… And I am not interested in boys…"

"Yet."

"Yet what?" the young trainer asked, looking quizzically at her mother.

"You're not interested in boys yet," her mother completed. "It's only a matter of time." she said with a sigh. "I don't know if I am eager or frightened for this moment to come."

"Eh, I am sure you and dad will manage to go through it perfectly fine." the pre-teen replied drily.

"Most likely! Maybe we could give you a little sister or a little brother to make up for your leaving us. How great would that be?" she hollered with glee. She laughed when she saw Crytal shudder. "I am kidding my sweetie. You know you are and will be the only one for us."

"Yeah… Truth be told, I'd not have minded a little brother or a little sister to grow up with…" This time, Megaree's vine came out empty from the bowl and the Chikorita looked disappointed as it got back down the table.

"I know, dear. I know…" she squeezed the young girl's shoulder and wrapped both her hands around her. "It didn't come to be, unfortunately. BUT it let you be the only one for us! Our spoiled baby!"

The 'spoiled baby' laid her head against her mother's chest and wrapped her arms around her waist, the same way she used to do when she was younger and had had a nightmare, or when she was upset or had had a bad experience. For both of them the gesture was comforting, as a mother Pigeot taking care of her little Pidgey in her nest. A small smile of nostalgia grew on the adult's lips as she passed her fingers in her daughter's dark hair, massaging her head.

"Mom, are you still checking if I have a skull break?" came a muffled voice that had an amused tone in it.

"And I can tell you your head is just fine. Are you reassured?" she answered with a chuckle.

"I should be the one to ask you that!" Crystal replied, breaking the embrace.

"I asked first!" her mother said. "But yes, I feel better knowing you're doing all right. You'd tell me if you were having some headache or fever, wouldn't you?"

"You know I would." the young girl assured.

"Just like that time in Mount Mortar?"

"That was three years ago…" she said with a sigh. "I believe I was punished enough. Will you ever forgive me?"

"I forgave you." her mother replied after a short second. "I just can't seem to forget." she added, getting up. "Well, tomorrow you've a long day ahead of you. You certainly should go get some rest."

"Alright mom," Crystal merely replied. "I'll just eat the…" she looked at the bowl that laid on the table and saw that it was empty safe for a few bits of berries and their juice.

"Blame Megaree," her mother said with a wink. "Oh, yes, little one, I did see you!" she hummed, staring at the grass Pokemon who was hiding under the table.

"It's alright Megaree," Crystal gently said, getting up. "I'll wish my Pokemon a good night then I'll go to bed."

"I'm sure they'll like that. Oh, and if Bonee and Monlee want, they can sleep inside in Woobee's room, I'm sure he'd not mind to share it with them, like back then." She looked down at Megaree who was about to leave the kitchen on his trainer's heels. "What about your Chikorita? He can sleep there too. If there is enough room for three, there is enough for four."

As if the grass type Pokemon had understood the human, Megaree ran to his trainer and hid behind her legs.

"Would you like to sleep in my room?" Crystal asked, kneeling to be at her Pokemon's eye level. "I haven't slept with a Pokemon since I was a little girl and Smochee stayed with me. I guess you could use her basket till I get you a proper bed, what do you think?"

"Chiko!" the Pokemon answered with happiness, rushing in his trainer's arms.

"Oh dear… Why don't I have my camera when cute things happen…" the adult sighed. "Oh well… I guess that's settled then?"

"I'd say so." Crystal giggled. "Come with me Megaree, we'll go see the other one last time, then off to bed." her voice grew lower as she disappeared in the corridor and left through the entrance door.

While her daughter was gone, she cleaned the dishes they had used as well as the table. As she was finishing her task, she heard the door opening again and Crystal getting in, followed by her Pokemon that went straight to the 'Pokemon sleep room' where her Woobbuffet was already resting in. It took a few minutes for the young trainer to get out again.

"I am going to bed, mom." she said with a yawn that was mimicked by Megaree.

"Alright, Cris. Rest well. Do you want me to wake you up tomorrow?"

"I'll set my alarm clock, so I should be fine." Crystal answered, hugging her mother. "But if you want to come around 7, I'd be fine too."

"I'll keep that in mind." she said, hugging her daughter back. "Now, go. And have sweet dreams."

"Thank you mom." And with that, Crystal was gone upstair, still followed by a sleepy Chikorita.

Humming to herself, the blond haired woman finished cleaning the kitchen until it was to her liking. She took the full trash bag she had replaced with a new one and put it down next to the entrance door, seized her Pokegear that was still laying on the kitchen table then went to her office. A quick glance at her computer screen showed her that the datas were still getting analyzed and copied to a hard disk. And that there still was more than half still left to be done.

"I guess it'll take the whole night…" She hoped not as she wanted to see that 'Pokemon tracker' her daughter had spoken about before she had to put the Pokedex back together and give it back to Crystal. With a last glance at her computer, she locked up the door then then tiptoed upstair.

As silently as she could, she opened the door leading to her daughter's room. It was completely dark and, through the darkness, she made out the sleeping form of the young girl, her medium length dark hair sprayed on the pillow. Megaree was sleeping next to her head, his leaf resting on his trainer's head, as if trying to protect her. Crystal mother had a small smile at this. This Chikorita really cared a lot about her. She then closed the door and went outside, taking the trash bag along.

As she thought, the night was clear and quiet. She smelled the heavy odor Parasee released at night and almost coughed when she reached the shed. She emptied the bag in a bigger bin that she used to make compost. Compared to the Bug Pokemon's smell, it was almost better.

As she was closing the door and about to make her way back home, she felt a presence behind her. Someone was here with her, and getting closer. Even if it was faint, she could hear the grass getting crushed under him, her shadow growing darker as the presence was coming up to her. From what she saw, he was much taller than her, almost 6'3'' tall. His deep and hot breath fell on her nape.

"Here you are," she said lightly, turning around. "Care to join me for a walk?" she asked. A sort of smile spred on his lips, showing white sharp fangs.


	7. Chapter 7: Walking in the Night

**Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.**

**Walking in the night**

The night air was fresh, a cold breeze blowing gently through the branches of the trees surrounding her houses, causing her to get the goosebumps. Though it may have been more out of excitement than really cold.

"I am glad to see you again, Beber," she said with a chuckle, that soon disappeared when the Arcanine walking at her side emitted a low whine. She patted the massive canine Pokemon on his shoulder. "I am sorry, I haven't been able to locate her yet. But I will!" she determinately promised. "I miss her too."

Instinctively, her steps had taken her towards Mount Mortar and both she and the Arcanine were standing in front of one of the caves going through the mountain.

"You'll go back there tomorrow," she told her companion softly. "Will you be alright with it?" The Pokemon emitted a few growls as his breathing deepened and became louder. Seeing this, she had a soft smile. "Crystal will be with you; she won't let you go. And I am sure Sev' wouldn't have done it if she had any other choice. You know you were… are her favorite." she corrected herself as she brushed Arcanine's fur with her fingers. She was careful not to get too close to his right eye and his blind spot as to not surprise him. To this, the Arcanine didn't react, all of his being was focused on the mountains.

"If only you could talk…" she said with a sigh. Ever since Crystal had come back with her new Pokemon team, surprising her mother, she had voiced that wish. Beber, Ebereth, had been her sister's Pokemon and both had been missing for almost three years at the time. No matter how much she had tried, finding where they had gone to had proved impossible. And the fact her sister wasn't one to give her information about where she went certainly didn't help.

Therefore, when Beber had unexpectedly reappeared as Crystal's new friend, She had tried to get him to take her to the place where he had been left behind. To no avail. He always refused. She then had pestered her daughter with lots of questions, managing to pinpoint where the event had happened. She had gone there, yet she hadn't been able to turn up anything. It was to be expected though. Arcanine were fast runners, they could travel from one place to another at a fast pace seemingly without effort. And this lead had been rather cold for a long time when Crystal had gone back home.

She felt a nudge against her lower back.

"Hey, big boy, don't do that." she said with a chuckle, petting the Arcanine's muzzle. "I know what you want, but I can't do it right now. There is one thing that I need to do first." She took her pokegear and was about to dial a number when she saw that there was a recorded conversation. **Oh, right. Crystal had called Professor Oak…** she remembered, pressing the 'play' button.

The long beep noise of the rings resounded, as well as a clicking. Crystal must have been really nervous if she was fiddling with something like this.

"_Hello?_" A male voice that the blond woman hadn't heard for quite a while. It sounded much older now, tired as well, either from old age or from the late hour. Or both. And yet, she'd recognize it anywhere.

"_Yes, professor. Good evening._" Crystal's voice was rushed, too many words wanted to get out at once. She really was nervous. "_I am sorry to call you so late… It's Crystal._"

"_Crystal? I didn't recognize the number. And you don't seem so good."_ He still was a good judge of character. "_Is everything alright?_" Concern, care. "_Have you seen Suicune?_" And business focused.

"_Yes. How do you know?_"

"_Actually…__ I didn't know. You told me about it earlier today…_" Embarrassment could be heard in those few words. "_You know, I explained to you how __you could use the Pokedex__ to track a Pokemon __you had already come across."_

"_Oh, yes, that's right…_" Embarrassment from both parties.

"_I suppose that you didn't manage to catch __Suicune__, otherwise you'd have already sent it to me, right?_" That was a rather blunt thing to say… She could imagine Crystal blushing hard, from shame. "_It's not that big of a deal, you know?_" At least he had understood he had made a mistake. "_It's a very rare Pokemon. Most likely one of its kind if the legend is to be believed. Oh, I also wanted to tell you, I have had report__s__ that a lot of gym leaders had __met and __battled against him._" She raised a brow at that. That would be worth investigating. What was Suicune doing? "_So I am not surprised you had some issue__s__ catching __Suicune__. Even a capture specialist as talented as you are is bound to face problem when trying to catch him_."

"_Gym leaders faced him?_" Crystal's clear voice had exclaimed. "_Can you tell me which ones?_"

"_Hm…__ Let me check…_" Sound of ruffled papers. "_Ah, here. So far, Clair, speciali__z__ed in Dragon Type, from Blackthorn City. Chuck, speciali__z__ed in Fighting Type, from Cianwood City. Morty, speci …_"

"_Morty?_" Crystal had rudely interrupted the Professor's list.

"Blackthorn, Cianwood, Ecruteak…" the woman muttered, picturing a map with Suicune's path in her head. Those cities weren't quite close to one another… Suicune may be even faster than Ebereth, she reflected, putting her hand on the fire Pokemon's warm back.

"_Yes. He's the Ecruteak City's gym Leader. He uses Ghost Type Pokemon. Why? Have you met him?_"

"_No, not him. But someone who claims to know him. Eusine. Do you know of him?_"

"_Eusine?_" Confusion from the Professor. "_I am sorry Crystal. I never heard of this person. What has he done?_"

"_He…__ I met him when I was looking for Suicune. He had set a trap using a hologram looking like Suicune. He said that if Suicune was to see Pokemon of his __own __kind, he'd certainly come._"

"_Did it work?_"

"_Not quite. Suicune was already gone. But he did take out three members of Team Rocket who have been after Suicune._"

"_Team Rocket…_" The professor had growled. "_Will we ever be rid of them…_"

"_Hm…__ Professor?_"

"_Sorry, Crystal. Just… Bad memories. They did make a mess here in Kanto. What can I help you with?_"

"_Who else have fought against Suicune? It could help me find him again._" The woman had a smile at that. Great mind thought alike.

"_Well…__ That's it, for now. But I sure will keep you posted if I hear of any other gym leader encountering Suicune._"

"_Thank you, Professor._"

"_Though, if I may ask, why __don't you use__ the tracking function from the Pokedex?_"

"_About that…_" A lengthy pause. Crystal was most likely gathering courage to tell what had happened. "_I… I had a little problem during the fight with Suicune. The P…_"

"_A problem? Are you hurt?_" Concern seeped from the professor's voice. She may think all she wanted about Professor Oak, but it was clear he really cared about Crystal. "_If you need some rest, it's fine, you know? I am not a work-__P__onyta and I am not going to force you to go on if you're not up for it. You've achieved much more than what I had __h__oped for. And that's an euphemism._" Concern had been replaced by amazement. With a hint of tiredness, she thought as she heard the faint sound of the professor moving in his chair, probably looking at the amount of Pokemon Crystal had forwarded to him. "_I still have a lot of Pokemon you've sent me that I have to analyze and compare to the data I already have. And Professor Elm and his assistant are barely sufficient to help me in this. Perhaps I could ask another of our colle__a__gues… Maybe Nathanaël Birch or Gabriel Rowan would be…_"

"_No, I am not injured. Except in my pride,_" Crystal interrupted the professor once again. "_However… I do need a break._" She took a deep breath and, as the professor was about to say something, she went on. "_And the Pokedex doesn't work anymore._"

Silence followed the news for about half a minute. The woman wondered if the recording had stopped for some reason. However upon inspection, she saw that it was still going on. On the other hand, it was normal the professor got caught by surprise. He certainly didn't expect such news.

"_Can you be more precise about what doesn't work anymore?_" the professor asked at last.

"_Huh?_"

"_You said that the Pokedex didn't work anymore. Can you give me more details?_"

Noise of moving around, a zip being opened and rumaging. "_I must have left it downstairs…_" being muttered. "_I don't really know." _she went on in a louder voice._ The screen doesn't show anything. I can't select any Pokemon or see the data it already has registered._"

"_I see._" A pause, then "_Where are you now?_"

"_Not far from Mount Mortar. I am going to go there…_"

"_Are you going to try catching Pokemon there? The Pokemon sending function Bill has added still works?_"

"_I…__ don't know. I am not going there to catch Pokemon, professor._" A sigh. Then a sob.

"_Crystal?_"

"_I…__ I am… I am doing just fine. It's just… I went through quite an ordeal…_"

"_And you need some time to relax. I understand, don't worry._" She almost could hear the smile in the professor's voice. "_Well, as I told you, I am much too busy for now, so I won't be able to come. But I'll send someone to check what's wrong with your Pokedex. If you have the occasion to pass by some city, give me a call._"

"_I will, Professor._"

"_And, Crystal…_"

Whatever it was that the professor was going to tell Crystal, it'd have to wait. Ebereth had growled, his attention focused on the dark patch of the forest. They had circled back home, the huge Arcanine frolicking happily, disturbing Pokemon in their nocturnal routine and not seeming to care in the least. They were now next to the small stream that went through the thicket her house was built in. They'd have to cross it when they'd go back home.

"What's the matter?" she asked the big sized Pokemon, focusing her attention where his eyes were staring. Unfortunaly, her eyesight wasn't as good at nighttime as it was in daytime and except from shapeless shadows, she couldn't make out anything. "Calm down," she added, seizing the canine by his collar and she had to use all her strength to keep him in place and prevent him from rushing at whatever had caught his attention.

If she couldn't see much, she could hear. Sounds seemed to be much louder at night. She had heard it was normal, as you couldn't rely on your eyes, you automatically turned to you other senses to check your surroundings. There were also less parasitic noises during the night, most human being gone to get some rest. Not that there were so much human activity in such a remote area in the first place.

Running. Someone was running. That she could be sure of. She was too far away to know more. Fortunately, she wouldn't have to wait too long to know who was making all this noise as they were running in her direction. She gestured to the Arcanine to come with her behind a trio of trees that shared the same base, managing to get the massive fire Pokemon to lay low. From this viewpoint, they could see who was coming and still be somewhat hidden. Though she feared it might not be enough.

The underbrush were shaking, the leaves ruffling against one another and some twigs snapped when they got stepped on. Whoever it was, they didn't care about being heard. The woman tensed, getting ready for whoever would get out, just as Ebereth did.

The tension that had been slowly building exploded when an Azumarill appeared, first its ears, then the rest of his blue and white body. The woman exhaled of relief. She had been expecting… She couldn't be sure what and, in a way, preferred not putting a name to what she had feared it'd be.

"Talk about anti-climactic," she said to the Arcanine with a smile. "An Azumarill." Said Pokemon was making its merry way to the stream of water, just like the one she had seen earlier had been. "I believe I should get some rest… I am not thinking straight if a mere water type Pokemon can get to me like this." The Arcanine replied with a small and low bark.

Both were about to leave the thicket they have been hiding in when a metallic flash caught her attention. So, it wasn't just any Azumarill. It had been the one Crystal had tried to catch and miserably failed. It still had the Pokeball the young trainer had used. In all likelihood, it had taken a liking to this red and white device, she thought as she saw the Pokemon playing with it. It was sending it high in the air and catching it with a jet of water. The Azumarill did it a few times before the Pokeball fell on the grass, causing the blue and white Pokemon to rush to it and resume its game. Who would have thought wild Pokemon liked to juggle?

The Pokemon and the trainer had gone a bit downstream so they'd not bother the wild Azumarill until they found the best place to cross the river. The Arcanine did so in a swift stride and the girl in an elegant jump followed by a less elegant landing as she almost lost her balance. The red Pokemon shook his head, his fluffy mane emitting a soft sound.

"Don't laugh. It can happen to anyone." she scolded it. A sudden shriek resonated in the night, sending a chill into her spine, her hair rising up on her arms and nape. "What was that?" she growled in unisson with the Arcanine. The scream had seemed to come from upstream, the place they had left a few moment before. **Had there really been someone?** She couldn't help but think, a weird feeling in her stomach as she felt bile in her mouth.

"Let's go have a look," she finally decided, regretting not to have taken Wobbuffet along and hoping Ebereth would be enough. Or that it was nothing to worry about at all. Sure, it was nothing. Couldn't be anything major. She'd have felt it if it was something dangerous, she kept repeating herself over and over. She had gritted her teeth, growing more and more nervous as they approached as silently as they could the origins of the scream.

There were no scream anymore, only whimpers and moans. They came from a few feet away, right beyond a few trees that the night had turned black. Maybe the attacker was gone and had left their victim to die. However she hadn't heard anyone leaving, so it could be possible that the perpetrator was still in the area. And it was up to her to help, as she had swore she would all those years ago. She moved away the branches that were in her and the Arcanine's way. The path hadn't been easy for the huge Pokemon and he was covered in leaves.

She let out a gasp as she caught sight of the scene. The perpetrators – there were several of them – hadn't left the crime scene at all. All around, there were Murkrow, either standing on branches, their talons deeply stuck in the bark, or flying up before nosediving. It took her a few moments to notice what they were focusing on. A round shape, blue and white, was shivering in the middle of the circle of trees, curled up. The ears were withdrawn under the head and it was making its best to protect itself from the repeated attacks from the Murkrow.

Should she intervene…? Her instinct were yelling at her to leave it be. It wasn't the first time those Darkness Pokemon would have done such a thing to a Pokemon entering their territory. And a murder of Murkrow could be rather complicated to defeat. Yet, she couldn't just leave the Azumarill to its fate…

Ebereth didn't take the time to think and jumped in the fray, scaring the bird Pokemon that were using their beaks to jab the Azumarill and sending them fly away in a chorus of caws. Now that a new challenger had appeared, one that seemed much fiercer, the dark feathered Pokemon looked more hesitant to attack.

A deep and powerful caw resonated from high above them. A Honchkrow. Its dark shape stood out against the moonlight in the sky. This one single cry had taken the Murkrow out of their trance and they seemed determined to take the Arcanine out. However if the Azumarill hadn't been a fighter, Ebereth was something else entirely.

The first Murkrow was swiftly dealt with when a blow from a massive red and black paw sent it crash against a tree, shaking the trunk and making a few leaves fall. The next wave wasn't as lucky as the Arcanine dug his fangs into them, severely biting them, breaking a few bones with his powerful jaws in the process. If she didn't want it to become a Murkrow cemetery, she'd have to intervene.

"The Honchkrow!" She told the Arcanine, pointing upwards. The fire Pokemon wasn't listening. She wasn't sure if it was a game for him or if he really intended to kill the flying Pokemon coming at him, yet that'd be a question she'd solve later. She raced towards Ebereth and pushed his face up so he could see the leader of the murder. "There." She sternly said. "Focus on it." The Arcanine let go of the Murkrow that was in his mouth and released a powerful Flame Thrower. That the Honchkrow easily dodged.

It cawed again, getting all the Murkrow that were still down in the trees to fly up in the air. They all gathered into a wide armada of flying blue death threats, their bright red eyes glimmering in the night as so many new stars. She doubted they'd be able to take them all down. Retreating was the best solution. But not without the Azumarill. She cursed under her breath when she put her hand to her waist, where her bag usually was. Only to find that it wasn't here.

Alright… She would have to carry it. It probably wasn't advised, in the Azumarill's condition, or from what she could see of it. Yet she didn't have much choice. Or… Looking up, she noticed it, a slight metallic glint from the moonlight. Up in a tree, half hidden in a nest of leaves. The Pokeball that the Azumarill had been playing with. If she could get it…

Hardly had she thought it that she was pushed away in the opposite direction. The Murkrow had obeyed another command from the Honckrow and had dove towards her and Ebereth. One of them had chosen her for target and slammed against her chest, making her fall next to the stream. Before it could fly away, she grasped it, almost squeezing it and glared into its eyes. She could feel its heart beating faster against its rib-cage and she could see the fear in its eyes.

"You made a terrible mistake." she snarled then released it. It quickly flew back up in the sky, its form lost in the feather storm of Murkrow attacking Ebereth. The huge canine Pokemon was doing all he could to stand his ground. "Ebereth, down!" she commanded. It crouched on the grass floor, dodging a powerful jet of water that scattered the Murkrow. Their flight was less smooth as the water soaked their feathers. And those weren't waterproof like Psyduck's.

She took advantage of this to race towards the tree where she had spotted the Pokeball, climbing up as fast as she could. The nest was full of shiny metallic things. Most were man-made, tabs from soda cans, marbles, a few coins, yet there also were shiny chips of stones. And the Pokeball. The Murkrow had it hidden under leaves, certainly so the other members of the flock wouldn't try and steal it.

"Ebereth, now!" She yelled. The poor Arcanine was lost in the middle of the Murkrow that surrounded him, trying to take him down. He bellowed, shaking down to the blond trainer's core as she threw the Pokeball in the middle of the fight. The Murkrow looked even more shaken though. And even the Honchkrow seemed to be affected. Yet that was just the beginning. Ebereth suddenly released a powerful Heat Wave, increasing the temperature drastically. The leaves and grass shriveled and it was a miracle it just didn't burn under the fast rise of temperature.

The murder had noisily flown away to get out of the hellish warmth, though she didn't doubt they'd be back soon to their territory. She'd deal with them when time would come. As of now, she was passing her fingers through her hair, happy to find it hadn't fallen down. Or been burnt. It was really dry and would need some treatment though. Yet not as much as the Azumarill that was now resting in the Pokeball, freshly caught.

"You did great," the trainer congratulated the Arcanine who rubbed his head against her cheeks. "Let's get you cleaned. I don't want to answer Crystal's questions if she were to see you all covered in leaves and half burnt feathers."


	8. Chapter 8 : Departure

**Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.**

8 - Departure

The sun rose way too early for her taste. The pale sun rays hit her pillow as her alarm clock showed 6:28 in the morning and she forced herself to get up, her memories of the previous day slowly getting back to her. How she had met Crystal at a moment she felt really depressed, that encounter with the Rocket Grunt, the night walk with the Azumarill… In short, she had quite a full day. And that was only the beginning. Today was certainly going to be quite busy as well she thought, making a mental list of everything she had planned to do.

Hardly a feeble creaking sound could be heard when Crystal's door opened. The room was dark, the very few rays that managed to get through the interstices of the shutters were hardly enough to let anyone coming in make out the different pieces of furniture taking up the space. On the right wall was a white desk with books neatly placed and in order next to a computer screen. Then further was the wardrobe and the bed on the opposite side, the window standing between them.

On the bed, Crystal was sleeping soundly, dead to the world. A board of the wooden floor emitted a low screech that, in truth, was hardly more than a whisper, yet, in the quietness of the place, it sounded as loud as an explosion. The shadow stopped in her track, the young girl in her bed moved, sending some more of her blanket on the floor, leaving only a bit to half cover her. Her breathing was still deep and even.

Even the Chikorita hadn't noticed anything. He wasn't on the pillow anymore and wasn't covering Crystal's head with his leaf anymore. He had moved aside to, supposedly, a more comfortable position, on his left side, his limbs stretched as much as possible and his leaf wrapping him as a blanket. A small smile crept on the intruder's lips.

One more step. Two more steps. One extra step and they were at the foot of the bed, where Crystal had left her backpack. They didn't pay it any mind, even though it was still open, but went closer to the girl's torso. They moved the rest of the cover away and slowly sat on the bed. They watched the young sleeping girl for a while, unmoving, hardly breathing. Waiting for the right moment. A minute left… Fifty five second… The shadow moved their right hand close to the girl's neck,… Fifty… closer… forty five… They seized the light sheet that laid on Crystal's shoulder and softly took it down, showing the girl's upper body. She was wearing an oversized light blue shirt as a nightgown.

Twenty second left… Still no movement from their victim, except for her chest raising up and down. Fifteen seconds… Ten… Nine… Eight… Seven… Six… With each passing second, the smile broadened on her lips. Five… Four… Three… Two… One…

A yell resonated in the room, startling Megaree awake. His trainer was moving erratically, trying to get away from her tormentor who wasn't having it at all but keep her in place. He looked at the two humans, both were laughing to tears.

"Mom, stop, stop it please," Crystal was begging, her breathing short.

"Good morning, sleepy head. It's seven in the morning. Time to get up!" she said with a smile.

"Already?" The black haired girl exclaimed, looking up at her alarm-clock, as if to check her mother was right and not pranking her. But no, her mother was indeed saying the truth, the clock showed it was 7:03. She laid back on her bed and closed her eyes.

"No you don't!" her mother sternly said. "Remember, today you have to go to Mount Mortar." She added in a softer tone, placing her hand over her daughter's.

"I know." Crystal's sighed, putting her hands on her eyes.

"You'll be fine," she said, with a reassuring smile that her daughter couldn't see.

"Chiko!" Megaree exclaimed, his two forepaws resting on Crystal's side, and trying to push her mother's hands away.

"Hey little guy," the blond woman said. "Did you sleep well?"

"Chiiiikooo!" the Pokemon answered, using all his strength and slapping the woman's arm with his head leaf.

"It's alright Megaree," Crystal said, taking her Chikorita in her arms. "Mom was just waking me up."

"And checking you were still as ticklish as you were as a kid." she added with a nod. "I am glad to see this hasn't changed, not in the least." The woman stroked her daughter's cheek, earning herself some more slaps from Megaree. "I am gonna take a shower. Be ready for yours in ten minutes max."

"Sure, Mom."

"And no going back to bed."

"Sure Mom." Crystal repeated as her mother was leaving her room.

"That's quite a strong Chikorita you got here," the blond woman muttered to herself, checking her hands and arms were Crystal's Pokemon had hit her. Red blotches were appearing as if it was some allergy, and it was rather painful to the touch. Luckily, she had the proper remedy for this and she proceeded to spread a light green coloured crème on the places she had been slapped. It didn't cure her right away but it certainly helped with the pain. A well timed Ding resonated once she was done. The drier was happily announcing it had completed its work.

"Good, they're clean." she muttered, taking her clothes from the drier. Needless to say that after the battle against the Murkrow, her apparel had been left rather dirty. So, once she had made sure that Arckee was clean and rid of the leaves and feathers, she had put everything in the washing machine and hoped it'd be ready for the next day.

The cold water on her body felt nice, not as much as if she had been completely submerged though, but she didn't have time for that. Once she was dressed and ready, she knocked on Crystal's door and heard her getting out of bed in a hurry. The 'thud' she heard was probably Megaree landing on the floor.

"I am gonna make breakfast." she told her daughter before getting downstairs. She filled the kettle with water and let it on its stand. While the water was boiling, she made a detour by her office.

She cast a glance at her computer screen yet didn't linger and headed to the right where a small healing machine was buzzing softly. A lone Pokeball was resting on display under the transparent glass. She switched the machine off after she had checked the vitals of the Pokemon inside. Everything seemed to be alright and the Pokemon was apparently sleeping.

She had wanted to release him once he was in good health, but she decided to leave him here. Crystal would certainly have many questions if she was to see her mother had a newly caught Azumarill, or if there was one so close from their home. Instead, she went to her computer. It had finished copying the data from the Pokedex that Crystal had been gathering. What surprised her was that, even though the amount of data all the information were taking was enormous, there was still lots of room left.

"What do you plan on doing with all of this, dear prof Oak…?" she muttered to herself, disconnecting the red device. There was still a lot she wanted to do with this red thing, she reflecting, staring at the machine, yet she didn't have time left and she could hear Crystal walking in her room and opening her bedroom's door.

"Mom, have you seen the Pokedex?" Crystal asked, as few minutes later when she entered the kitchen. She was dressed as if she was ready to leave, wearing the same outfit than the day before – that her mother had cleaned along with her own set of clothes – her hat on her head and her bag on her back. Megaree was at her heels.

"It's probably where you have left it yesterday." Her mother answered, her back turned to her daughter as she was peeling some berries on the counter for their breakfast.

"I thought I had left it in the kitchen. I couldn't find it when I talked to professor Oak..." Crystal stated.

"Yep." her mother agreed. "You left it here with your Pokegear." she added, pointing at a place next to the fridge. "What did the professor say about the… Pokedex?" she asked as her daughter went to get the two devices. "Was he angry or something? He didn't yell at you, did he?"

"Oh… No. On the contrary. He was really nice." Crystal answered in a low voice, packing them both in her bag. "He didn't scold me nor anything." **Hmf… I'd have liked to hear him do that. I'd have given him a piece of my mind, **the adult thought for herself, without losing her smile.

"Will he be able to repair it though?"

"I suppose so. He said he was too busy to come, but that if I was coming to a town, that I give him a call and he'd ask someone to repair it."

"I see." She answered, turning back to the task she had interrupted. "Did you tell him you were going to Mount Mortar?" She already knew the answer to that, of course. But Crystal didn't know she knew.

"I did. He thought I was going there to catch Pokemon, but when I told him what had happened, he said that I should relax and take it easy."

"He and I agree on this point," Crystal's mother said, licking her fingers from the berry juice. "If you want, you can stay here with me for a few days. You'd take all the rest you need then go on your Pokemon catching training." she suggested.

Crystal raised a brow at that. "You're the one who told me I should go back to the place where I made my technique. And now you're saying I shouldn't go?"

"No, sweetie. I am saying you don't have to go _now_." She cleaned her hands and wiped them on a dish tower. "I remember saying that you have a job to complete, and I am not going back on this." she added before Crystal could counter her. "Yet, your employee himself said that you were free to take some holidays. Why don't you? We could have some mother/daughter time? What do you think?" she asked, with an eager smile.

"I think… That it's tempting, but I shall pass." Crystal eventually said. "Someone told me one day that I have to complete any task I had before going to have fun."

"That person must be really intelligent." the blond trainer said. "Oh wait… It was me." she went on with a smile. She removed the hat from her daughter's head and brushed her hair, messing it completely and making the young girl giggle. "Now go wake up your partners. They are certainly not going to go on an adventure on an empty stomach. And neither are you!"

"Alright Mom." The young girl dropped her bag on an empty chair. "Let's go Megaree!" she joyfully said to her Chikorita and went to the room her Pokemon had slept in while her mother finished to get the breakfast ready.

By the time Crystal was back, tea was ready and had been served in her usual white cup decorated with stars for Crystal and a mug showing two tangled Dragonairs about to use a Hyper Beam on a dark as the night background for her mother. Toasts, jam, jelly, berry juice and freshly cut berries waited to be eaten on the table.

"Mom! You didn't have to prepare so many things." Crystal exclaimed as she sat down.

"Of course I did!" She answered. "I told you you weren't leaving here for your expedition on an empty stomach. And I only prepared what you loved because I am the best mom you could wish for."

"Moooom…" Crystal sighed, taking a sip of her tea.

"And that's not all. I also made this!" She got up to take a light blue piece of paper with a small Wobbuffet in the top right corner, pushed a jam jar and bread and placed it before her daughter. She had scribbled many things in her short rapid hand-writing and it took some times for Crystal to decipher everything.

"Training schedule to be a Pokemon catching pro," Crystal mumbled, munching on a piece of toast, that she almost chocked on and had to swallow a big gulp of tea to make it go down. The first advice her mother had written was 'Don't break your arms!'

"Anything the matter?" she asked, looking up at the brown haired girl. She had finished her breakfast and had put her dishes in the sink.

"No, nothing…" Crystal answered, blushing hard, and she went on to read the next piece of advices under her mother's eyes. Of course the first one had been little more than a joke, what came next were more useful and finished with 'Don't hesitate to call me!'

"If you follow each step, you'll be back to the top in no time!" she proudly declared, taking some Pokemon food as she was about to feed her daughter's partners. "And here you are, sleepy head!" she added when she saw her Wobbuffet entering the room. "I was wondering when you'd show up." She petted the blue Pokemon when she passed by him.

"Let me do it," Crystal said, moving to take the bag from her mother's hand. But she wasn't having it.

"Certainly not young lady. You still have to finish your own meal. Besides, you'll be feeding them as soon as you leave home. So let me take this opportunity while I still can, please?" Crystal couldn't refuse her mother's plea and relented. "Great!" she patted her daughter on the back. "Leave your dishes in the sink, I'll clean them up right after I am done outside."

Of course, Crystal wasn't one to obey her mother when she wanted to help. When she came back to the kitchen, everything was clean, the sink empty and anything they had used back to their places. Even the schedule she had prepared was neatly put under the Pokegear and Pokedex so it'd not be lost or thrown to the bin by mistake.

"Wooobbuffeeeet," her Pokemon told her when he saw her.

"Yeah, I know." his trainer answered. "There is no way to deny it, she is as stubborn as her parents. But eh, it means that raised her well." she added with a wink. "And, anyway, the least we can do is support her as much as she needs." she concluded.

"Woobbuffeet." he answered as the woman took some bread and butter, cheese and meat from the fridge in order to make a few sandwiches.

"Obviously. We're not going to leave her alone. You know what happened last time. It is certainly not going to happen this time around, not if I can help it!" she determinately said. She had already planned to follow Crystal to make sure nothing happened to her.

Even though she was three years older than last time and that her newly found friends at the time had helped her go through the hardship, she couldn't help but feel responsible for not having been there. It may postpone what she had planned to do, but her daughter's well-being was at stake. She didn't doubt that he'd understand that. Besides, it wasn't as if she couldn't multi-task. And she had her report to make anyway.

"You're all set now?" she asked as they stood at the house's door. Crystal was surrounded by her Pokemon, they all had an assured glint in their eyes. With her red backpack and her yellow cap, Crystal looked like a girl on her way to school. Except that the nearest school was all the way to Violet City and in the opposite direction where she was headed today.

"Sure am. I have the Pokedex, my Pokegear, potions in case my Pokemon need some healing, berries from the garden, antidotes and other cures," Crystal counted on her fingers. "I also didn't forget to take the Balls you brought me from Kurt. I think that's everything."

"Almost. You missed _your own_ supplies. I don't believe how you could not think of it!" the blond trainer said, theatrically face palming. "There!" she said, giving her daughter a small box in which she had placed the food she had prepared for Crystal. "There are only your favorite. I also added two bottles of Fresh Water and some Sodas. Don't forget to keep hydrated and don't overexert yourself. I also added a good old fashioned map of the area. Given your Pokegear's screen is broken, you can't use it to check your location." she said, preventing her daughter from interrupting her. "You still remember how to read a map, don't you?"

"Yes, mom. I haven't forgotten that."

"That's my girl! I count on you to take care of her!" she told the Pokemon around their young trainer.

"Mom, I can manage. Really." Crystal said in a flat tone. "I have been on my own for quite a long time."

"I know. And I know you're a big girl," her mother agreed, pushing the bangs away from the girl's forehead. Her hand lingered on the young girl's cheek. "A big girl that makes her parents proud with her abilities and strong personality. No matter what happens, I want you to remember that. Alright?"

For a while, Crystal didn't answer. Her head was lowered, her eyes focused on the ground and her mother could see her closed fists were shaking. She also noticed a few drops falling down, yet there were no sign of rain in the clear cloudless sky. She brought her daughter close and wrapped her arms around her shoulders in a fond embrace.

"Alright, Mom." the muffled voice of her daughter said.

"Don't let circumstances take you down. You're a warrior, you always get back up." She broke the embrace. "Now, off you go. It's already late and you have a long way to go to reach your destination."

"Yes Mom." Crystal answered, rubbing her eyes. "Thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome, my child." she answered softly. Crystal was already several feet away, waving one last good bye to her mother, half turned to her, but her attention entirely focused on her training. "Be careful!" she called in a loud voice, with a wide wave of her hand. "And, Crystal! Have fun!"

"And… she is gone." She exhaled as Crystal disappeared behind a wall of trees. "Well, time for us to go as well, right Wobbuffet?" she asked her Pokemon who was awkwardly standing at her side. "I'll just fetch Azumarill and we'll be on our way." she stated. "Maybe that catch of yesterday will prove to be useful."


	9. Chapter 9 : Rock Climbing

**Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.**

**9 - Rock Climing**

It wasn't too complicated to find and follow Crystal's tracks to Mount Mortar. As soon as she had closed their house so that none would trespass, she merely had to spot Ebereth – Arckee – 's huge paw prints. Not that she needed it anyway as she knew her daughter's destination. Yet, as she wasn't in a hurry, she took her time. In particular when she passed by the territory of that murder of Murkrow. She was extremely cautious. This time, the Arcanine wouldn't be here to be the target of their wrath. She had kept Wobbuffet in his Pokeball, in case the dark bird Pokemon were willing to go on with a second round.

Her prudence was not necessary as it seemed they all were asleep. And, if she was to judge by the amount of dark feathers that covered the grass floor of the forest, the Fire Pokemon had quite cleaned up the murder. She still noticed some that were hidden behind the tree's leaves, either sleeping or casting her circumspect glances. This little fact brought a smile to her lips for they'd be less keen on attacking people on sight.

Sooner rather than later, she found herself facing the wide mouth marking the entrance to the caves piercing through the mountain. And she couldn't get herself to get in. Her own mouth had gone dry as she stared inside the darkness. It was as if some beast was waiting for her to come inside to close its enormous jaw. She had her torchlight in her hand but it didn't lighten much except the few feet in front of her. She could smell the sweet scent of running water inside, she could even faintly hear it in the distance. She knew for a fact that there was a waterfall inside – a pretty one from what she had seen on pictures. And yet, she was stuck outside, unable to take the first step in.

"It's useless," she eventually sighed, leaning on the stone wall, massaging her temples. It took her a few minutes to calm down. Even though she hadn't entered the cave, her heart was still beating stronger and faster than usual.

"Well, if we can't take the regular path, let's be creative." she said to herself with renewed enthusiasm, clapping her hands. She placed her torchlight back into her bag and eyed the stone wall towering above her, calculating the way she should take and the grips that would be the best and easiest for her to reach the top.

Ivy and other climbing plants had grown on the stones. This could be an asset as well as a drawback, she reflected, as the plants could be used as grip. Yet, at the same time, they could have weakened the rocky wall, rendering it crumbly or slippery. Besides, who knew what creatures used these plants as home? One wrong step and she could fall to her death. She shook her head. She wasn't going to let a mere climb prevent her from reaching her daughter. So, with a glint determination in her eyes, she began her ascent.

It didn't take her too long to reach the first level of the mountain. Vegetation grew in a disorderly manner. Short and dry grass covered the stony ground, scrawny bushes hugged the rocks and twisted trees tried to hold and thrive on a rather hostile land. Only the climbing plants seemed to be growing healthily in such an environment. And yet, in a way, it managed to look beautiful. The rare flowers that had succeeded in blossoming on the trees had a nice shade of yellow and orange and the bushes emitted a sweet smell that attracted Butterfree and Ledyba along other bug type Pokemon. It created a great chequered pattern on the rocks and stones.

However, before she could go on the second level of the mountain, where her daughter was most likely to have arrived, the sight of dried blood and black feathers caught her attention. She knew that Honchkrow didn't take defeat and failure from their followers and goons that well. She had seen what the leader left of such victims more than once. Usually motionless creatures.

She only had to move a few branches from a thorny bush to find the injured Pokemon. This one was a bit luckier as it wasn't dead yet. However it was in a pitiful state. Its wing was completely twisted, she could see its clear coloured skin in some places and its paws were stiff. One of its eyes was covered in blood and most of its head feathers were torn or had been pulled away. It also showed several cuts from beak and talons. And still, it tried to move away and feebly peck her when she gestured to seize it.

"Look boy, I can leave you to die a painful death to the fangs of a predator." she said in a gentle tone. She didn't want to frighten it and speed up its passing. Or maybe it'd be for the best as it wouldn't be suffering anymore. Its breathing increased and she could see his chest rising and lowering at a fast pace. "Or you let me help you recover to full health so you can get your revenge. Or a happy life away from the one who hurt you." she went on, softly stroking its neck with her thumb.

It calmed down a bit and let her take it away from the bush. Upon closer inspection, it looked really worse for wear and she didn't know if she could really do something to help it except ease its pain. Yet, when its eyes locked into her, she couldn't bring her to do it. Pokemon seldom showed their feelings, they were animal after all. Still, maybe it was due to her nature or because she was reading too much into it, or perhaps because of what she had promised it earlier, when she looked into the Murkrow's remaining eye, she felt she saw despair and hope, both at once into them.

"Alright pal, that's more like it." she said, moving her arms awkwardly so she could access to her pouch without moving the injured Pokemon too much. It still was breathing fast and hard, inhaling as much air as it could through its open beak. "There, you should feel better with it." She sprayed some medical potion on its main wounds, specifically on the head that was dark red of dried blood as well as on its wing. The liquid seemed to work as the Murkrow relaxed in her hands. She feared it had gone limp, but it was still breathing, to her relief.

She then took some leaves and strong twigs from the tree to prepare makeshift bandages and splints to keep the wing into place. She could hear her sister's words while she worked on the Murkrow. "_Wings seldom really recover from being broken. The bone will indeed be fixed, but never as it was. Flying will be hard, if possible at all, once the bone is set and has healed._" She had also said that high-performance bird Pokemon that had their wing broken were like a Rapidash with a broken leg and disposed of in the same fashion.

"But you're not a high-performance Murkrow, are you? Who care if you can't fly as you used to? I certainly don't." she said with a small smile when she was done and looked at her work. It was crude, but it'd have to do for the time being. She took a long light blue coloured scarf from her bag and placed it across her chest, tying it with a knot. She then put the injured Pokemon on it, so she could carry it around and still have her hands free for the last of the climb.

"You'll be fine, I assure you." she promised. The Pokemon didn't answer as it appeared to be sleeping. And it remained so until she reached a standpoint from which she could see her daughter without being seen. Up here, the vegetation was scarce, hardly more than the rare trees that had managed to dig their root through the stone hard mountain floor. She made a small nest from the scarf and set it next to a rock so the Murkrow would be protected from the wind that blew stronger and colder than at the foot of the mountain.

"Better get comfortable," she said, getting her Wobbuffet and the Azumarill out of their Pokeball. "We are going to stay here for a while. At least until we're sure Crystal is back to her normal self." She cast a glare at the blue and white water type Pokemon as it was getting close to the Murkrow. "Leave him be!" she snapped, starting the Azumarill which removed its hand that was about to hit the dark flying Pokemon. "It was punished enough."

"Rill!" It pouted with a frown.

"I mean it." she warned, taking Azumarill's Pokeball and showing it to the Pokemon. "One misstep and you're back inside." That seemed to get her point across as it left the Murkrow's side to go sulk a few feet away. "That's better."

Moving to the edge of the ravine, next to the lone leafless tree that was holding on as hard as it could to the mountain, she could see her daughter from afar. Her hands were tied behind her back and she was juggling with her feet, the Pokeball rising into the air and landing on her knees or on her feet. Megaree was at her side, watching her.

"_The reason you've become incapable of capturing Pokemon is that you're afraid of failing again._" she thought as she watched her daughter training. Megaree was trying to imitate her and juggle with his leaf, which made Crystal laugh. She hadn't told this to her daughter for she believed it was something she herself had to find out. "_The only way you can overcome this fear is to return to the place where I sent you for your very first training._"

Back then, when Crystal was only seven years old, the little girl hadn't been able to catch any Pokemon, no matter how many time she had made the attempt, it has always ended up into a failure. She had tried several techniques and none of them seemed to work. And it hadn't helped that the children living in Violet City had made fun of her for this, leaving her crying. It was to the point that Crystal had declared that she'd never be a Pokemon trainer as she was unable to make a successful catch. This statement had worried both she and her husband and convinced them that their little girl needed to go to a place where she could train by herself, away from judgemental eyes.

And so, they had bought their home near Mount Mortar and sent their daughter there. Of course as they weren't about to let Crystal train all by herself and be the potential target of any dangerous and wild pokemon, they had decided to give her a Pokemon to serve as guardian. One that didn't look like much and still proved to be really strong: the Pokemon that had hatched from the egg they had got from the nice couple of old people who took care of her husband's Jinx, Smochee.

"_The place where you broke both your arms and where you perfected your __unique __technique._" She hoped this location would bring memory to her daughter, and help build back her confidence that had shattered during her battle against Suicune. Harsh as it may seem, the blond trainer still considered it was a good thing for her daughter to face failure, so she wouldn't get a big head and, on the contrary, keep on training. What Crystal had been neglecting lately, with all her work at the Pokemon Academy.

She watched her daughter training her juggling ability with her legs and feet. It was awkward at first and more often than not, the ball just fell to the ground, or away. And always Megaree went to fetch them and give them back to Crystal. This little fellow really seemed to care about his trainer. After all, Crystal has said that he had insisted she take him on her team, even though she had refused for her team was full. And even when she had made him fight her Pokemon, he hadn't given up. And he had made the right choice. Both he and Crystal were stubborn. They'd get stronger together, she had no doubt about it.

"And about stubborn…" she muttered to herself, moving back to the place she had left the Murkrow. She checked how it was and was pleased to see that his breathing was slower and more even. Once she was sure it was fine, she took her Pokegear and called a number.

For a few seconds, nobody answered. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. Finally…

"Hello?" grumbled a grumpy male voice.

"Hey! It's me." she said.

"It's you…" A pause. She pictured the recipient of her call rubbing his eyes. "Of course it's you. What name do you go by these days?"

"Giulianna."

"Go figure… Giulianna, do you have an idea of what time is it?"

"As a matter of fact, no I don't. Though I guess it's quite early in the morning?" she asked, sitting down next to the Murkrow, cross legged. It opened its eye and moved a bit into its 'nest'.

A sigh answered her as the person she was talking to shifted into a more comfortable sitting position, she supposed.

"Nevermind. What do you want?"

"Well, I suppose you haven't heard of what is going on here in Johto, have you?"

"Why would I? I am nowhere close." he answered in a flat tone.

"Because Team Rocket is on the loose." she stated. She had expected to get some reaction of any sort. A gasp, an exclamation, anything at all. But nothing except silence answered her statement.

"And why would I care?" he calmly said at last. He sounded fully awake.

"It happens I have been interrogating one of their members. He said that Giovanni had named an heir to take over the organisation after him, even though they had never seen him or knew his name. Any idea who that might be?"

The silence answered her once again. This time though, she could feel it was a rather hostile silence. She could hear him getting up and pacing.

"No." he said curtly. "I don't know who you interrogated, but whoever it was, they lied to you."

"You're being insulting." she countered with a growl, hurt in her pride. "I'd have known if they were lying to me. He seemed rather convinced of what he was saying."

"Who told you this?"

"I didn't have time to ask for name," she admitted. "Though I can describe him for you."

"Hm."

"Blond haired, with a short ponytail." she said, bringing the Team Rocket grunt's image to her mind. "Light green eyes. He had a light yellow scarf… Oh, and he was accompanied by two other people… One had auburn hair and the other dark brown, almost black, hair. Both had a scarf of the same light yellow colour, but their were smaller." she added, recalling the other two who were on the Tauros' back when she had to leave.

"Harry, Ryu and Ken. They used to be lieutenants in Team Rocket. They were right under Sabrina, Surge and Koga." Her contact informed her. "The one you had interrogated was Harry."

"Were they high enough rank to be privy to such information?" she insisted.

"I told you, no heir was named. And you should know why." His voice was still calm, yet she could feel an underlying turmoil kept in control.

"I do know why. I am still surprised. Are you sure that none from the old Team Rocket would have claimed to be the heir to gather the remnants of Team Rocket around them?" she suggested.

"None that I can think of. Surge and Sabrina were instructed to go back to their gym and their duty as leader."

"And Koga?"

"Don't you know?"

"No. Should I?" She hadn't expected this. Why would she know about Koga's whereabouts?

"I suppose not. I was told by that he had gone for some training on his own and hadn't been heard of again."

"Could it be a cover while he really is trying to revive Team Rocket?" She heard him chuckle at her suggestion.

"No. Koga would never have done such a thing. Even with all his flaws, Koga has honour and respect for his former leader. I can assure you that he'd never have tried to take his place."

"My, if I didn't know you, I'd think you actually like the guy." she teased.

"Giulianna, don't push your luck." he warned her in an even tone. Somehow, it sounded more frightening than an actual threat.

"Alright, alright." she exclaimed with a wave that he couldn't see. "Oh, I remember now! Those lieutenants, they were not alone." she added, as a detail came back to her mind. "There were two other people." she went on. "One was a guy named Will. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see much of him. All I can tell you is that he had dark half long hair and was wearing strange clothes. Like a clown or a harlequin. In comparison, the girl who was with him looked normal. She has light hair and sounded like she was his boss. Both looked to be teenager… Or young adult. Does it ring a bell?"

The answer came sooner than she had expected. He actually didn't need time to think. "A guy named Will? There were a few with that name in the rank of Team Rocket, though none that would be a teen, especially three years after it had disbanded."

"What about the girl?"

"If I don't have a name, I won't be able to give you a definitive answer. However, if this Will wasn't part of Team Rocket three years ago, you can safely suppose she wasn't a member either."

"Weird… They talked of their boss as if they were familiar with them." she muttered.

"What did they say?"

"They said… The boy… He asked why was their boss using Team Rocket." Giulianna answered, trying to remember the words they had used.

"Was he asking this to either of the lieutenants?"

"No, to the girl. The three guys were out cold. It's a long story." she quickly added. "And she had said… er… that they could be used to take the blame."

"Are you telling me that the person those two young people work for is using the name of Team Rocket as screen to hide their own misdeeds?"

"That's what I came to understand as well." she tentatively said. Even though he sounded peaceful, anger lingered near the surface.

"Did you follow them to have more information?"

"Unfortunately, I couldn't. My daughter needed me."

"Crystal? How is she doing?"

"She is fine. She just went through a reality check and she had trouble coping with this." she answered, not eager to go into too much details. "I am going to stay with her a while though."

"Do whatever you consider is best for your daughter." he said, his voice strangely warm. Though it didn't last. "Would you be able to find them again?" he asked, going back to the topic that mattered to him.

"I think so. Do you want me to?"

"No, I already gave you a mission to complete. However, if you happen to cross their path again, do take as much information as you can and report them to me."

"Alright, I will."

"I also expect a full report of those events you just told me. Actually, I want a report about all of this 'new' Team Rocket's activities."

"And you will get it." she agreed with a sigh. She hated writing these reports. She found them to be a hassle.

"I will also try to get Talia to come."

"Talia? Oh, you mean… I didn't know you still had some contact with her." So that was why he expected her to know about Koga's coming and going.

"I didn't think I had to tell you who I speak with."

"Touché."

"Unless you have anything else to say, I am going to hang up." he said.

"No. You're up to date."

"I'll be once I get your report." he reminded her.

"Fine. You'll get it." She wasn't sure he had heard her reply as he had already hung up, ending the phone call. Well, as she was going to stay in this rocky mount for a while, she could get to work on this report… Hopefully Crystal would have gained her confidence back by the time she was done with it.


	10. Chapter 10 : Groundbreaking Discovery

**Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.**

10 - Groundbreaking Discovery

"_I asked him who that heir was, unfortunately, this Rocket member wasn't able to give me any useful information. When __questioned__ why, he __answered__ me that he had nothing to tell me for the simple, and good, reason that he had never met __whoever this new boss was__. He didn't even knew the face of their new leader._"

Looking up from the text she had been typing away, she sighed as she stretched her back and arms. Her back was hurting her the most. Up in the mountain, there weren't any comfortable places to use as a desk to write on. No comfortable cushioned chair next to a window open on nature allowing her to listen to the sweet trills of bird Pokemon and, at the same time, let her be shielded from the cold mountain wind.

A few days had passed since Crystal and her mother had gone up Mount Mortar. The young black haired girl had been training her juggling technique and ability. With each passing day, she got better and better, renewing her habits, making her think of new ways to juggles and throw the Pokeball. And her confidence rose up higher and higher, to her mother's delight each time she went to check on Crystal.

Unfortunately, things were not doing all that well for the adult trainer. She had been working on writing all that had happened to her, the interrogation of the Rocket grunt as well as what her daughter had told her about her, and this Eusine's, own encounter with them. She really didn't like writing reports and it had taken her almost an entire day to get everything she wanted to tell down and only _then_ she had to work to put them in the correct order.

"Sev… If only you were here, you'd do it in a blast…" she sighed again, looking up to the sky. It was still bright blue with only a few white clouds scattered here and here. The sun wasn't going to set before several hours yet. And that meant she still had time to work on that assignment. She saved her progress and put her computer away. She'd complete it, but she needed to stretch her legs. And clear her mind.

"Hey little guy." she gently said, kneeling next to the injured Murkrow. She had built a real nest for him, with twigs and leaves and had kept the scarf around him to make sure he was warm. The bird still didn't look quite good. His head was still featherless, and she had to change the splints on his wing a few times during the past days and his eye was as good as gone. Yet, he looked more lively when he followed her movements with his remaining valid eye. Or when he cawed, just like he did now when she brushed his healthy wing.

"You're very courageous," she said with a smile. "You'll be on your feet in no time." she assured. She wanted to believe what she was saying. The creature clearly seemed to be on the right track, he ate and drank much more than the first night they had slept on the mountain. She had lit a small camp fire to make sure the bird would be warm and she had been gathering berries, leaving the bird under the careful watch of her faithful Wobbuffet. Berries that the Murkrow hadn't wanted to eat. Or even nibble. Needless to say, she had had a sleepless night, fearing he'd be gone when the sun would rise again.

To her relief, the Murkrow had proved her wrong and that her first impression had been the correct one: there was more courage from him than what met the eyes. He had been living when she woke up from a fitful sleep and she was just in time to prevent Azumarill from injuring him.

"NO!" she had yelled, pushing the Azumarill aside. He had a look of atonishment when he landed on a thorny bush a few feet away. "I told you, you DON'T TOUCH HIM!" she had firmly said, stamping her foot down. This of course hadn't pleased the water type Pokemon who had taken a battle stance. "Oh, you want to fight? Wobbuffet," she had called her Pokemon. "Use Mirror Coat and Counter. Make sure nothing happen to the Murkrow." she had commanded without looking away from her recently caught Azumarill. "It's between you and me!" she had said. "Show me what you got!"

And he had done exactly so. She hadn't known what to expect. The Pokemon hadn't seemed to be much of a fighter as he had tried to escape her Wobbuffet back then. And even during the fight against the murder of Dark type Pokemon, he had just cowered down. So it had come as a surprise when she had seen him quickly turning around, his tail glowing a bright blue colour. Somehow, it got coated in water that he had stricken her with as if it was a mace of sort.

"That was quite a powerful Aqua Tail." she had admitted. She had managed to parry the hit that had been aiming for her stomach, yet she had been left drenched in water and her arms hurt where they had been hit. "But you'll have to do better than that to bring me down."

The blue and white Pokemon had glared at her, trying to look fierce and still adding to his cuteness, in spite of himself. She moved so she'd be able to take in whatever he'd try to send at her, be it another Aqua Tail or any other move.

"Well?" She had teased, her eyes set on Azumarill's even though she checked everything was doing alright on Wobbuffet and Murkrow's side. Just as she had asked, her Psychic type had placed himself between the 'battle' and the injured Pokemon, as a shield of sort. She could feel the barriers her Pokemon had set as extra protection were still strong.

The Azumarill looked away, as if she had upset him. Then it smirked and turned to face her.

"Come on, boy, no need to be mad at me." she quietly said, holding out her hand to the Water Pokemon. "Just don't try to kill Murkrow and everything will be fine. After all, we can all be friends, can't we?"

He slowly moved up in her direction, still smiling. Giulianna rose a brow at this, wondering what he was going to do. She feared he'd go to Murkrow, but no. He went straight to her. She moved her hand to brush his furry head but was stopped when his right blue fur coated paw connected with her waist harder than she'd have thought. Then his left, then his right again, hitting her on her stomach, emptying her lungs. How swift this creature was in comparison to his wide body… She was left breathless as the Azumarill kept on with his game.

"Okay… You also know Play Rough." she moaned in a raspy voice. She moved her hands at fast speed and caught Azumarill's. "Enough is enough!" she sternly said. "I have let you play, now it's time to end it." The Azumarill was trying to get away from her solid grip, moving and kicking, but her crushing grip was much too tight for the Azumarill to escape.

Out of desperation, he gathered all his water might to his tail and jumped high enough to turn around, his head being upside down, and hit her with his caudal appendage. She let go of the Pokemon as she was pushed backwards. She landed on her back and slided a few more feet away on the stony floor. Good things that her arms were covered, it prevented her from getting scratches.

"That was the last blow." she said, getting up and wiping the dust and mud from her skirt. "You showed me what you were capable of, now it's my turn." She was pleased to see a frightened look in the Azumarill's eyes, unable to move under her determined glare. "I defended you against the Murkrow, I am sorry I had to catch you, but it had been for your own good and safety." she said, her tone steadily decreasing as her anger rose. "The least I could expect from you is a bit of gratitude. Would it be too much to ask?" She asked, raising her arm, about to pound the Water Pokemon.

In answer, the Azumarill curled up to the ground, just as he had when the Murkrow had been attacking him. This action made Giulianna hesitate to go on with her move. She eventually brought her arm down. So that was this Pokemon's true nature. Brave when facing weaker, or seemingly weaker opponent, and docile when facing potentially as strong or stronger opponent.

"Get up. I am not going to hurt you." she had said at last. She delicately rubbed the Pokemon's soft fur on his back. She took the Pokeball she had used to catch the Water Pokemon from her small pouch and handed it to him. He didn't look up before a few seconds, almost a full minute. "There, take it. It's yours." she stated.

Hesitantly, the Water Pokemon reached out, his eyes locked on Giulianna's. He probably thought it was some sort of tricks as he moved his paws at high speed to snatch the ball from the trainer's hands and ran away much faster than one could expect from such a chubby Pokemon. She watched him going through the scarce vegetation and disappearing from her sight behind a bush and a scrawny tree.

It had pained her to see the Water type Pokemon leaving. Yet, somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but think that it was maybe for the best. At least, he wouldn't be trying to hurt the Murkrow more than he already was. It certainly was the reason why he had managed to get back to a healthier state as he was in a safer environment.

She sat cross-legged and placed the bird on her laps. Wobbuffet was at her side, watching her. He had two berries in his hands and his mouth was covered with dark blue stains, which made her laugh.

"If you could see your face," she said as she took a small Oran berry and a bite from it that she didn't swallow but handed to the small bird. It pecked the blue fruit flesh, sometimes hitting her fingers hard, spilling the blue juice all over her fingers and his beak. It certainly wasn't agreeable, but still she was pleased to see he was fiercely eating.

"Good boy." she congratulated him, petting his feathers carefully.

"Newsflash!" the radio she had on her computer had stopped the music it had been playing. "Some more events happened in the Ruins of Alph. After the discovery of several mystery Pokemon by Bugsy, renowned member of the archaeological department of the University of Azaela Town, the board of directors decided to finance a new expedition in the Ruins. Their goal was to unravel the secret around these Pokemon – named 'Unown' – yet they found something unexpected.

But who better than Bugsy himself to answer our questions? He has agreed to be today's guest. Bugsy, thank you for accepting our invitation."

"Thank you for inviting me, Mr Reed." a clear voice answered. This Bugsy must be very young, Giulianna reflected. And already a Gym Leader and a renowned researcher. "As you rightfully mentioned, our primary goal was to uncover everything we could about those new Pokemon. As of now, we had managed to find more than twenty different forms for this Pokemon."

"Twenty different forms for only one Pokemon. It's not common, is it?" **What a stupid question,** the blond trainer thought. Of course so many forms for only one species of Pokemon wasn't usual. Those journalists…

"You're correct. We have been closely working with professor and scientists of different regions, Professor Silktree, Elm and Oak, only to name a few, to try and solve this mystery. Professor Silktree suggested that these many forms could be related to the alphabet."

"Is that so?" Reed exclaimed. "Wouldn't it be a bit far-fetched supposition?"

"It was, at first." Bugsy agreed. "Yet, as we didn't have any other explanation, we also didn't have any reason to dismiss the idea. Therefore we tried and, indeed, we found some similarities between the many forms of the Unown and the letters of the alphabet."

"Could it be a language of sort?"

"We are still working on it. During our latest expedition, we found a new form that we think look like the 'g' letter."

"I understand. However how come Pokemon took on the shape of our alphabet?"

Bugsy emitted a small chuckle at this, which apparently upset the journalist.

"I am sorry. We actually believe it's the other way around. The Pokemon didn't take the shape of our alphabet. The Ruins of Alph are rumoured to be more than one thousand five hundred years old. The logical hypothesis would be that our ancestor used their different shapes as letters. Letters that, as time went by, were simplified to the alphabet we have today."

"This is indeed an interesting theory. It certainly could change some of our beliefs regarding the relationship between Pokemon and human."

"This is what Professor Oak believe, yes."

"Hopefully he'll be able to tell us more about it during his show with Mary. However I have come to understand there was also something else that happened during that expedition."

Giulianna hoped it really was more interesting than what Bugsy had been saying for, so far, it had just bored her out of her mind. It was a good thing she had been busy feeding the Murkrow and changing his bandages.

"That's true. Though it's somewhat linked to this theory we discussed just now." She could hear the gym leader of Azaela Town taking a deep breath. "This happened a few moment after the discovery of this 'g' shaped Unown. My attention had been caught by a sudden movement. I supposed it was another Unown, maybe one whose shape hadn't been registered yet.

I left the other members of the expedition and went after the creature with my Heracross. The first thing I thought it that it _wasn't_ an Unown. The Pokemon was much taller, ran on all four and had blue fur and a purple mane."

**Suicune**! That had to be Suicune! The Murkrow cawed in Giulianna's hand that she had involuntarily clenched, tearing one of his feathers out.

"Oh, sorry." She said, rubbing the Pokemon's wing. So Suicune – if it was him, and she didn't doubt it wasn't – was still out battling specific trainers. Those who were brave enough to go after him. Giulianna placed the Murkrow back to his nest and made sure he was comfortable, got up and started pacing, to stretch her legs and also think about the situation.

"… a dead end." Her trail of thought was interrupted as her attention focused back on the interview. "There was a slab with some Unown engraved. Using the method we had devised with Professor Silktree, I was able to decipher it as meaning 'Escape Rope'."

"Escape Rope?" The journalist interrupted. "What could it mean?"

"I wondered about it too. I happened to have one with me, and as I was taking it out of my bag, it happened to glow and it must have triggered some sort of mechanism as the wall the slab was on crumbled, revealing Suicune. The Pokemon most likely had been waiting, which led me to believe he had brought me there."

So it _was_ Suicune! What could he be doing down in the Ruins of Alph? The trainer doubted the Pokemon of legend was merely randomly battling trainers – and happened to find the gym leaders by chance. With the exception of Crystal and Eusine, of course. There should be a purpose behind it. But what could it be?

"Have you been able to catch him?" the journalist asked, hope in his voice. "Many other gym leaders have claimed they have faced him."

"And I believe everyone of them. Unfortunately, I wasn't luckier than them. He broke my net and out of the Great Ball I had sent. Then he fled away. As sad as it was, it enabled us to make another discovery as he had opened the way to a new hall in the Ruins of Alph. A room that we didn't know about."

"Was there some treasure in this room?"

Bugsy laughed heartily this time. "No, there were no treasure there. Or at least, not the kind you'd expect, even though, to us archaeologists, it was quite valuable."

"So, what was inside?"

"The remains of an altar of sort and, on the back wall was a big marble slate with those Unown shaped letters spelling 'Ho-Oh'."

"You mean, the legendary bird Pokemon from Ecruteak City?"

Ho-Oh and Ecruteak City again… Could it be that, more than trying to defeat the gym leaders of Johto for some unknown reason, Suicune was looking for the bird? And his facing the gym leader was only because they just couldn't let the occasion of fighting, and catching, such a Pokemon slip through their fingers?

"The one and the same," Bugsy replied the journalist. "We are going to continue our researches and investigation. It's essential we find the link between Ho-Oh and the Ruins of Alph. Little is known about the people who built the Ruins of Alph, or even what were those ruins before they were destroyed and why they were abandoned at all. We hope to get answers to these questions soon."

"What about Ho-Oh?"

"This is still an unknown. I am going to travel to Ecruteak City and ask Morty for any information related to Ho-Oh. Maybe it'd help me see clearer."

"I understand. In a way, I suppose we can thank Team Rocket for invading the Ruins of Alph."

Giulianna stopped her pacing and listened more carefully than she had before. The guy had mentioned Team Rocket. How were they involved in the Ruins of Alph?

"I am not sure to follow you here." Bugsy said, his voice suddenly tense. "Why on earth should I thank these scoundrels?"

"I… I don't mean to offend you," Reed apologized. "It's just that… Well, there have been news they went to the Ruins of Alph several weeks ago. The Unown were found around the same time, weren't they?"

**They did? **

"This is completely true." Bugsy said with a sigh. Any hint of his earlier laugh and good mood gone. "However to claim that this is the reason we made a groundbreaking discovery is exaggerated."

"Indeed. I didn't mean to say this. We thank you for your kind answers to your questions." the journalist said a bit too quickly.

"Thank you for inviting me, Mr Reed." Bugsy politely answered, though it was still quite obvious he was upset by the journalist' comment.

"And I am certain our audience will be curious to know how your researches go. Do not hesitate to come back with some more information about the Mystery of the Ruins of Alph."

"Wait. No, don't go! What about Team Rocket? What did they do?" The blond woman wanted to scream at them through her computer. But the radio was back emitting some upbeat tune. They had teased her with some important information and they were leaving her dissatisfied. She had been away for a long time, and she didn't like to listen to the news in the first place anyway.

She let herself drop beside the Murkrow's nest. What she thought was going to be an easy to make report seemed to be like an insurmountable task. She wasn't a woman to spend her time listening to old radio news shows, or go through old journal articles. She was a woman of action. Yet, now she'd have to do the very thing she loathed.

"What if I called him to say I couldn't do it?" she asked the Murkrow. "What do you think he'd say? It's not like he could force me to do it, right?"

"Caw?"

"Woobbuufffet!" Her Psychic type Pokemon answered. His mouth was even dirtier than before as, when she had been listening to the radio, he has been swallowing the remaining berries.

"Alright, alright." she said, theatrically raising her hands to the sky. "I will do it. But I want it known that it's not willingly and certainly not cheerfully."


	11. Chapter 11 : Unwanted Guest

**Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.**

11 - Unwanted Guest

**Rocket sighting – Black clad individual spotted in many Johto cities…  
**_Many citizens claim they have seen members of the infamous gang from Kanto known as Team Rocket and suspected to have been destroyed a few years back…. Though most of these sightings aren't actually clearly confirmed… _

**Turmoil in the Ruins of Alph… Team Rocket involved?  
**_The Ruins of Alph suffered some destructions and the team of researchers that had been sent there had almost met a terrible fate as they were stuck into some underground room. Fortunately, Chief Archaeologist Bugsy was able to rescue them… _

**Is Team Rocket Back?  
**_Though the head of police and spoke-person denies this fact, rumours are spreading about increased activity involving people dressed in black, with a red R on their chest. People in Kanto are silent and don't seem to share any information on this matter… _

**Blood rain at the Rainmaker Well…  
**_The Rainmaker Well in Azaela Town, well known to be a gathering place for Slowpokes has been the stage of some gruesome events. Slowpokes have been missing for several weeks and people were starting to worry about this, fearing an upcoming drought as Slowpokes are rumoured to be bringer of rain…_

**Slowpoke tails cut…**  
_In the depth of the Rainmaker Well, Kurt, ball maker by profession, found many Slowpokes whose tails had been cut at the base and their appendage missing. All this was discovered after many people wearing black apparel were left tied by ropes next to the well… _

The blond woman was starting to get a headache. Since she had heard that interview with Bugsy on the radio, she had been looking for information about Team Rocket. And it seemed that their invading the Ruins of Alph was nothing more than one of their feats. It seemed they have been keeping busy and, lately, were getting out of hiding.

Pages and pages of newspaper articles spoke about their deeds, real or fantasized. Same went with radio broadcast and she had her head full of journalists trying to analyse their actions and their reasons for showing up now. In itself, it was a valid question. What could they want? Three years ago, it had been said they tried to overthrow the Kanto institution for money and fame, if the journalists could be believed, up until their leader disappeared, seemingly disbanding the whole organisation. To her surprise, none seemed to be talking of a new leader though. Most broadcasts and shows she had heard supposed Giovanni was back at its head.

"Pff," she had sighed. "They don't even check their information…"

She had cringed when she heard someone from the Pokemon League committee claiming the former Viridian City's Gym Leader was a disgrace to their organisation and that they were actively looking for a replacement for him.

"That's just like them," she muttered. "They don't do anything when Giovanni goes missing for several years, shutting the gym down. But once they get involved, they disengage and deny any responsibility."

Yet this also brought the questions of what they have been doing underground during the past year. Had they been working and only now were strong enough to act in plain sight? Her informant seemed to know nothing about this recent increase of activity in Johto and he was well-versed in Team Rocket doings… So it meant nothing good would come out of it. To be entirely clear, there seemed Azaela Town had been the nexus of many unpleasant activities from Team Rocket. Though, she still had to separate fact from fiction.

But why would they concentrate in such a small city? She couldn't help but wondering as she got up and started pacing to and fro as she usually did. It helped her putting her thoughts in order and use the store up energy she kept when she wasn't moving. Unconsciously, she went over the edge to check on Crystal, and was pleased to see the young girl was still sleeping soundly, wrapped up in her Arcanine's warm tail, her head resting on his fuzzy mane.

She looked around and, as she didn't spot anyone, except her Wobbuffet watching over the Murkrow as she had commanded him to, she jumped down as silently as she could and seized her camera. Of course, 'Arckee' had noticed her and emitted a bark when he saw her landing near him.

"Shhh..." she said, placing her forefinger on her lips. "I don't want Crystal to know I am here." she muttered. Even though the Pokemon didn't understand her words, he clearly got the general idea that she wanted him to remain silent. "Now, don't move," she told the big fire canine as she took a few steps back in order to get the entirety of the picture. Once she was pleased, she took several shots of her sleeping daughters and her Pokemon.

While she was doing so, Natee flew down from the tree he had been sleeping in and landed on Crystal's mother shoulder. He then moved down her forearm and proceeded to 'check' the pictures Giulianna had been taking.

"Don't worry, I won't show them to her. It's for my personal use." she told the Psychic Pokemon. "I know she doesn't like when I am on her back." she went on, using the words Crystal had used once, one day she had been really angry. "And she needs to be on her own to grow in a very capable and independent woman. Yet, I also can't deny I want to have her around always. So, you know, for when that day comes, I am gathering memories and memento." she concluded with a small sheepish smile.

The Natu seemed to nod as he flew away to Arckee. She didn't quite know the level of intelligence Crystal's Psychic Pokemon had. At time, he seemed rather clever and to have an above average understanding of human activities, while at other, he seemed to be oblivious or confused about what humans did.

Then she looked up to the place she had left. She couldn't tell why her attention had suddenly been caught. To her knowledge, there had been nothing different. The wind was still blowing its cold breath, the sun was still rising in the east, over the mountain top, the sky was still slowly turning into a bright blue colour… Yet deep in her guts, a feeling of doom had spread as an ice sheet in her stomach.

She turned towards Natee. She supposed that, maybe, the Psychic Pokemon had been trying to warn her about something. However the green feathered Pokemon had his back turned to her, his attention focused on the bark of the tree that he was pecking in search of some seeds. She shrugged. Wherever the warning came from – if it actually was a warning and not some effect of her imagination – it had come at a good timing, in a way, as she noticed Crystal was stirring in her sleep, meaning she was about to wake up soon.

"I am going," she said. "Watch over her!" she added as she was halfway over the mountain stone wall to the next level, climbing as fast as she could, throwing safety and caution to the wind. She feared the Azumarill was back and ready to get his revenge on the Murkrow. True, she hadn't seen the Water Type Pokemon since she had 'released' it, however he had shown to be tricky and deceitful. So she couldn't be so sure he'd not resort to such cowardly tactic. And Wobbuffet, even though he was a well trained Pokemon could easily be overtaken by some situations or events.

"Wobbuffet!" She called once she arrived in her camp. Her blue Pokemon was standing in the middle of what looked a mess. "What had happened?" she asked, rushing to her Pokemon. He didn't seem badly injured, yet he still had a few scratches and flesh wounds. And this fact only was a wonder. Wobbuffet were known to be able to counter most moves, and throw their back at their opponent twice as powerful as the original attacks.

"What would have done it to you?" she asked, cleaning the blood on the short blue fur.

"Woobbuf…" the Pokemon started, sounding shaken and sad.

"It's alright," she said with a gentle smile. "I am sure you did your best. One can't ask too much if your opponent is much stronger."

"Buffet…"

"Don't worry, we'll train some more." she promised as she finished cleaning and healing her Pokemon. "I have been neglecting it way too much lately. How is Murkrow?" she asked.

"Woobuffet, buffet…" he answered, moving aside. If her Psychic Pokemon had looked shaken, the Murkrow was beyond being shaken. He seemed to have seen his own ghost and to be scared out of his mind. She carefully placed it into her arms, checking for potential wounds or worsening of his current state of health. She was relieved when she noticed everything seemed to be in order. Or at least, not have worsened.

"I really wish I could understand you." she said to her Wobbuffet. "It's spare me the bother to look for clue."

"Wobbuffet…" he only answered, and she couldn't know if he was apologizing or mocking her.

She walked around in her camp, trying to understand who or what could be behind this attack, all the while petting the Murkrow, her Wobbuffet at her heels. Giulianna doubted anyone was following her. She'd been well trained, she'd have noticed it if she had been. Besides, none would even suppose she had gone into such a remote place. Her co-workers at the hospital didn't know where she was and thought she had gone on vacation in Unova to visit her husband who had been transferred there.

"Could it be Team Rocket?" she suggested. After all, she did have had a talk with one of its lieutenants, or former lieutenants. True she had left him paralysed and those two kids hadn't seemed to make a big deal of these 'Harry, Ryu and Ken', however she couldn't rule out the possibility that he had talked about her to these people, or even the new boss, and that they were after her.

**If that's so, it'd spare me the time to look for them**, she dryly thought. And if she was to find them – or them to find her – she'd show them what she was made of. Or she could bring them to her informant. She was certain he'd like to have a discussion with them. A devilish smirk spread on her lips as she was walking around, looking for any hint of who could be behind the attack.

She was reassured – though a bit disappointed too – to know that none human had come as she didn't see any human footprint, handprint or fingerprint anywhere. The only footprint she saw was much too round and small to belong to a human. The thorny bush were free of clothes' fragments and the air didn't smell like perfume, aftershave or any other human artificial fragrant product. Actually, the mess didn't look human made. The moves were erratic and had no logic behind them except create as much disruption and chaos as possible.

"So we are dealing with a Pokemon," she said, speaking out loud to help her thinking. "Yet there aren't a lot of wild Pokemon in this area. Therefore this leave us with the possibility of a Pokemon that had lost its way here, one that belongs to a trainer or … Azumarill…"

Giulianna didn't like to think the blue and white Pokemon could be the one behind the attack, yet on the other hand, she also couldn't deny the Water Type Pokemon's behaviour had shown it was in his nature to do such a thing. And yet… She looked down at the blue dark Pokemon who was resting in her arms. Had it been Azumarill, he'd have used Water moves. After all, he knew Aqua Tail. And he certainly wouldn't have left the Murkrow unharmed.

The blond trainer put down the Murkrow into his nest and went to her computer. The poor thing didn't look too good and there were several sharp stone shards set in the keyboard, rendering it useless.

"Well… I had wanted to find an excuse not to do this report," she said dryly. Now, she regretted even wishing such thing. Hopefully she'd be able to recover all the data she had gathered into the device. "Next time I ever say something like this, don't hesitate to hit me." she told her Pokemon.

"Wobbe?"

"I know, I know. Your species can't hit anything." she said with a small smile. "I was just kidding. Anyway, it's only a bunch of electronic device," she went on, looking all serious. "Nothing that I can't repair or replace."

She took the shards one by one from the keyboard. Upon close inspection, it seemed these were the results of a move. This finished to convinced her that the attack wasn't a human works. Had it been from someone, they'd not have destroyed the computer like this, they'd have rendered it completely un-salvageable or would just have taken it away.

So it had just been a random attack from a wild Pokemon. Rock type most likely. Eh, what else could be expected all the way up on a mountain? And by the size of these shards, she supposed it was a small sized Pokemon. About half the size of her Wobbuffet, if she was to guess from where most of the wounds had been located.

"Wobbuffet, what do you say we have our first training?" she suggested, putting her computer back into her bag. She'd have to tell him she'd require more time to complete the task. Or not… After all, he hadn't given her any deadline.

"Woobbuffet?"

"Yes, and our revenge as well." She agreed, picking up the injured Murkrow and wrapping him in her former scarf. She had noticed the bird had taken a liking into it and liked to cuddle into the cloth.

There weren't much places the Pokemon could come from. The most obvious one would be the cave located downwards, yet she couldn't get herself to get inside. Moreover, the paw print she had found didn't lead in that direction, but towards the thorny bush. When she had inspected it, she hadn't seen any tuff of fur. Therefore either the Pokemon was even smaller than she thought, or it didn't have fur. And given what rock or ground type Pokemon looked like, it was no doubt she was after a fur-less Pokemon.

Without any clue about where to go, she merely followed the natural path going on the mountain's side, looking for another print. However the stony ground wasn't really the ideal field for these. On the other hand, and even if she couldn't pinpoint what it was, something felt strange with the surrounding area. She couldn't say what, for, to her, any mountain looked like the next one.

She didn't have the time to think further about what was troubling her though as she spotted something dark blue, almost purple in the distance. It was laying down, as if resting in the bright sun. She raised a brow as that and shared a glance with her Wobbuffet.

"I guess it doesn't hurt to check…" she eventually said as they cautiously went up to the creature. As she had thought, it was the Azumarill. And at the same time, it wasn't for his usually blue and white fur was covered in blood. She handed the Murkrow to Wobbuffet and turned the Pokemon around so it laid on its back instead of its stomach. It didn't react when she touched him, his eyes staring aimlessly at the sky and his skin cold to the touch. Much colder than any mountain weather would ever reach.

"I… I am sorry… I should never have let you go," she stammered, her voice shaking. It wasn't the proper environment for a Water Type. Of course he was bound to lose his way and serve as dinner to mountainous carnivorous Pokemon. She should have brought him back to that river, she thought as she placed her left hand on the Pokemon's chest.

What did she expect? His heart wasn't beating anymore. The scars that were on the Azumarill were the same that had been on Wobbuffet, meaning that whatever Pokemon had attacked Wobbuffet had also attacked Azumarill. As for which attack was the first, she couldn't know. She absent-mindedly stroked the formerly white and blue Pokemon's fur wishing it was in her power to do something, to change what had happened.

She felt so tired as she hid her face in her right palm. Be it with human or with Pokemon, she hated to go through such event as she was always left heart-broken, no matter how many times it had happened and would happen again.

"Woobbuffet!" Her Pokemon called, panic in his voice. Looking up, she noticed something green that had been staring at her, a smirk on its small face. The Pokemon was standing proudly above her, looking down from a ledge.

"I guess you're responsible for the mess at my camp." she calmly said, gently putting the Azumarill's body back to the ground. "And you are also responsible for what befell this Azumarill."

The Pokemon didn't answer and she wasn't looking for any verbal answer anyway, the broken pieces of a Pokeball the Larvitar had scattered all around it were eloquent enough.

"You're so going to regret this." she warned it. It didn't answer and just emitted a pleasant growl. A Water Spout landed a few inches besides it, catching it off guard. "Next one won't be a warning shot!" she threatened, carefully aiming so she'd not miss it this time.

Unfortunately, she didn't have time for it as the Pokemon bent down and started _eating_ the soil of the mountain, to her amazement. She rushed up but it was too late. It had disappeared into the hole it had dug with its teeth, going down below the mountain to some unknown place she couldn't follow it to.

"You coward!" she yelled to the hole. "Can't face an opponent your level?"

The Larvitar's departure infuriated her and she was about to hammer her fist down to get rid of the frustration that was slowly building into her – in her mind, she pictured the earthquake following this, hopefully burying that Larvitar for good. Either that or filling the cave with water… Drowning would be terrible for a Rock Type Pokemon she supposed…

"Woobuuffet!"

"I am coming." she said between gritted teeth, trying to push her murder thoughts away, but not getting up right then.

"Woobbuffet!" The Pokemon repeated.

"Fine! Fine! I am coming!" she repeated angrily as she jumped down and went to her Psychic Pokemon that was standing next to the Water Type Pokemon's body. Her anger morphed into surprise as she saw the Azumarill staring right at her, his eyes locking into hers. And he blinked.

"She is so going to kill me…" she muttered.


	12. Chapter 12 : Back on Track

**Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.**

12 - Back on Track

She was at a loss. The Azumarill was slowly breathing, noiselessly taking in air and looking all around to Woobuffet, his trainer and the small Murkrow in her arms. Though this time he didn't seem to harbour any ill feeling towards the flying Pokemon. Or he merely was too tired to do it any harm.

"How did it happen?" she asked out loud for the umpteenth time. And once again, she didn't get any answer. Such things weren't meant to happen. It was forbidden. Besides, she hadn't been taught how to do it. So, how did she succeed to do something that was rumoured to be extremely difficult and that she had never been trained to do? She stared at her hands.

There were nothing different about them, they were still pale and showed the scratches she had gotten when Azumarill had attacked her the other day. Yet, Azumarill was now up and very well alive when just a moment before he had been laying down and… She shook her head. She didn't want to think about it at all.

"In the hand, perhaps it's a good idea that he asked her to come help me." she muttered with an awkward smile. "It seems I do mistakes when I am on my own." The Murkrow emitted a caw that she wasn't sure meant he approved her or wanted to comfort her. "Eh… It's alright… I guess I won't be able to escape the blame this time…" She had a soft smile to the bird Pokemon and sighed.

"Well, no need to cry over… spilled milk…" she said, getting up with renewed determination. "Let's go back to the camp. Crystal should have woken up now." She looked at the Azumarill who was starring back at her. She gave the Murkrow to her Wobbuffet and carefully trod in the direction of the Water type Pokemon, making sure not to make any sudden movement. Once she was only a few inches away, she knelt down so she was at eye level with him.

"You're free to come with us, if you'd like. However have no fear, I'll bring you back to the foot of the mountain where your usual play ground is," she promised in a gentle voice.

"Azu…"

"I know… You have been through some terrible things, and I apologize for it. It… Such event… I dare not think what it was like. And… I don't know if… I don't know if bringing you… back…" her voice broke as sobs rose up in her throat, rendering her unable to speak. Tears flowed down her eyes and she didn't do anything to stop the flow. **So much for not crying… **

How long did she remain there, on the silent mountain, crying her heart's content, she couldn't say. She knew that, at a point, she felt a soft weigh on her shoulder. The Azumarill had come closer and had put his left paw there in a comforting gesture. It made her smile through her tears.

"You shouldn't be so nice." she said. "That's not how you are… That's not who you are…" she added, rubbing her painful eyes, still wet from her crying. "Phew… I haven't cried that much for a long time…" she commented, getting up. Her knees and legs were sore for having remained in the same position for so long and the blood was painfully flowing back into her lower limbs. She stretched and rubbed her legs. Her crying session hadn't solved anything, but it still helped her feeling better.

"Alright, we are ready to go!" She announced her Wobbuffet. However she didn't take the Murkrow back from him. Instead, she seized her Pokegear and selected a number. **Where could she be now? Had he already told her to come? Was she still on some mission?** She wondered. Well, there was one way to know.

'_Hi. Long time no see._' she started typing her message. '_In case you haven't heard, you're supposed to come back to Johto. Have a lot to tell and catching up to do._' She stopped typing. Would it be enough? Of course not… She'd want to know how far along in her investigation she was to take it up from there. And the moment she'd see Azumarill, she would know what had happened. Giulianna caught a glance at the blue and white Pokemon.

He was walking behind her, looking pretty much the same as he had the first time she had met him, and yet, smiling and, right at the moment, smelling a lone flower on a rocky wall. The blond woman couldn't say if the flower smelt good or bad and if it was responsible for the Azumarill's next action, but she cringed when he ate it whole, core, petals, leaves and stem, tearing off the small roots away from the wall. Well, she had the option to bring it back to the river, as she had said she would.

She was contemplating her options when she heard a small trilling sound from her Pokegear. She had received a text message. It'd be the answer she was expecting. Hopefully. Or not. She wasn't sure yet.

'_Long time indeed. Link still strong._' It reads. '_Got assignment but am on a mission. It'll have to wait._' The guts she had. Giulianna would never have dreamed to refuse or postpone obeying the command she had been given. And yet, _she_ had no trouble doing it. In a way, she was jealous. Another alarm brought her back to her Pokegear.

'_If you have anything of importance, share it now so I can deal with it upon arrival._' She read and re-read the sentence. What could she mean? Truly, she couldn't know what she had done, could she? She knew people like her sister were something else, but she really couldn't _read her mind_, could she? Or know about things that happened so far away from where she was, right?

A disturbing thought invaded her mind. What if she wasn't far away but already in the region?

"Nah, can't be." She dismissed it with a wave of her hand as if she was chasing some annoying bug Pokemon away. She did have said she currently was in a mission. "I'd have felt her if she was close by. And you'd have warned me, wouldn't you?" she asked her Psychic type Pokemon who answered with an enthusiastic 'Woooobbuffeeet!"

"I knew you would." she replied with a smile that matched her Pokemon's. "So, what do I tell her?" she pondered. Looking back, she noticed that the Azumarill was indeed following her, a leaf had stuck to the fur around his mouth and it didn't seem to be bothering him.

'_Am looking for info on TR._' she eventually typed. '_Report delayed, cause faulty material. Will send it ASAP. Nothing else worth sharing for now._' She hesitated for several seconds that felt like hours but hit the 'send' button. After all, she wasn't lying. Not completely. She couldn't know the issue she had with Azumarill and she was talking only about the problem of Team Rocket. Anything else could wait until she was here in person.

By the time they arrived at the place where she had set camp, Giulianna hadn't had gotten any answer. She supposed that she wasn't about to get any for now. Whatever it was that she had to do, it took all her attention. Either that or she didn't think she needed to answer anything to the blond trainer's message.

The camp itself still looked the mess it had been when she had left it several hours before. None seemed to have came in while she was away. She took the Murkrow from Wobbuffet and set him back on the small nest that still was there. She petted his feather and he thanked her by pinching her fingers with his beak.

"Alright, I get it, you are hungry." she said, licking her sore fingers. "Unfortunately, we don't have any berry left…" The few they had for their breakfast had been eaten by the Larvitar, or smashed to the ground. "Wobbuffet, go get some berries. And take Azumarill with you." she added as an after thought when she saw that he was still here, wandering around in the camp.

Azumarill looked up at her and gave her he sweetest smile. However, instead of reassuring her, it gave her the creeps. It was as if he had understood her words.

"Woobbuffet?"

"Yeah… I know… Well, if he doesn't follow you, at least make sure it doesn't stay _here_!" she answered, pointing at the injured Murkrow. Azumarill may seem calmer, it didn't mean he still hadn't at heart to get his revenge on the injured Dark Pokemon. He did have shown how mean and cunning he could be after all. A shame it had been useless against the Larvitar. Though, on the other hand, she hadn't been able to defeat it either, so who was she to blame Azumarill?

"Woobbuuffet!" Her Pokemon said, going to the Azumarill and preventing him from getting any closer to the camp. A sort of conversation ensued that she didn't follow at all for she was trying to put everything back in order as much as she could, all the while keeping an eye on the Murkrow in case an impromptu attack was headed at him. But nothing happened. The two blue Pokemon went on their way to where Wobbuffet supposed there were berries and Giulianna was left alone with Murkrow.

Once she was done cleaning, she sat beside the injured Pokemon and stared long at him. If she had helped the Azumarill, perhaps she could do the same to him, right? She petted the small bird gently, passing her fingers through the feather on his back, making sure not to touch any of his injuries. She tried to recall the feeling she had had when she had done the same with Azumarill, the energy wave passing through the body of the blue Pokemon. If she could recreate this. But nothing. Murkrow just looked at her, his head looking funny with the 'baby' fluff that was growing back.

"Caw?"

"It seems I can't do it." she said at last, removing her hand from the bird and getting up in frustration. Why did it work earlier and not know she wanted it to happen? Were there some triggering button that needed to be pushed in her mind? Sure she had felt awful and guilty when she had seen the blue body laying motionless. However that couldn't be how it worked, could it? Or maybe there was a limit… After all, she still felt tired from this. Therefore it may mean it had required lots of energy. On the other hand, Murkrow was very much alive, so it'd not require as much energy as it did with Azumarill, would it?

Her trail of thoughts didn't stop when Wobbuffet came back with Azumarill. Both had their hands full of berries. They were small and scrawny, however it was the best that could be found here. Giulianna took one and let the Pokemon share the rest among themselves. Her pacing brought her to the edge of the cliff from where she could check on her daughter. Taking a bite, she observed how the young trainer was doing.

In the past few days, she had quite improved her juggling and with it, her confidence had risen. If at first she couldn't hit the target she had set at the feet of a stony wall, now every Pokeball she threw was bullseye. And each time a Pokeball reached the centre of the target, Megaree cheered his trainer.

"Let's take a break." the young trainer decided after a while. She removed the bandage that kept her hands behind her back and sat down near the place she had been sleeping in. "I think I am ready for the next part of the training." she said, taking the program her mother had prepared.

The blond trainer had a smile at this. **You have been ready for it for days, **she thought. **But no rush. Take all the time you need.** That was what she wanted to tell her daughter. She wanted to go down there and show her support. Yet, she couldn't, and Crystal would have to rely on her Pokemon's support to go on.

"Now we'll try something more difficult." Crystal was saying as she was handing her little Chikorita some food she had taken from her bag. The Chikorita joyfully took it as his trainer summoned her Arcanine then went to get the practice target. "I'll need your help for this, Arckee." she said as she fastened the target on the Pokemon's back. "Is it alright? Not too tight?" she asked, checking the ropes and knots. As an answer, Arckee barked, which made Crystal smile. "That's great. Now, I'll ask you to run around me and I'll try to hit the target as you move. Alright?"

Another bark answered Crystal who chuckled this time. "I'll take this as a yes." However the first training session had to stop as soon as it had started.

"You're running too fast, I can't keep up with you." Crystal was saying to Arckee who looked down and sheepish. "It's not your fault. I know you run fast. It's mine for asking you to. Let's try it again, but keep a relatively slow pace, alright?"

"Chiko!" The Grass type Pokemon was standing between Crystal and Arckee. What did the creature have in mind? Crystal's mother wondered. She had come to understand he was rather strong headed and Crystal had said that he indeed was stronger than his look suggested.

"Megaree?" she called her Pokemon. "What is it?"

As an answer, the little green Pokemon started running around the same way that the Arcanine had been doing, under the Fire type Pokemon and their trainer's surprised look.

"You're growing restless?" Crystal supposed. "You can go and walk around as long as you come back." she offered. But it clearly wasn't what the Pokemon meant as he then took a Pokeball and started juggling with it with his leaf, then he send it on his back, over and over again. "Oh! You want to do as Arckee! That's it?"

"Chiko! Chiko!" He approved, throwing the ball back at Crystal who caught it with a laugh.

"That's nice of you!" she thanked her Pokemon. "What do you say Arckee? He'll run not as fast as you do, but he is also smaller. He'll be a nice addition to the training, won't he?" She took a piece of wood on which she quickly scribbled red circles and fastened it on the Chickorita's back. "Now you are ready!"

Megaree looked back at her with pride then he raced a few feet away and started running around.

"Here we go!" Crystal determinedly said, taking a first ball from the bunch her mother had given her. She missed the first times, the ball being sent much to high, or low, or without enough strength and each time Arckee went to fetch them. Giulianna had a soft and nostalgic smile at this as her mind brought her some memories. Memories where another trainer – who looked nothing like her daughter – did the same with her Growlithe. Eventually, Crystal started to hit more and more the target that was on her Grass type Pokemon.

"Wobbuffet?"

"Hm? Oh, she is doing better." the blond woman answered. She looked up and was surprised by what she saw. The Murkrow was still in his nest, and Azumarill right besides him. Yet, he didn't seem about to hit or hurt him at all. He actually was handing the bird some pieces of berries that the Murkrow happily pecked and swallowed. And nothing in the Water type Pokemon hinted that he was about to do anything ill to the Murkrow. "I suppose those two are doing better as well…"

"Now, your turn Arckee." Crystal declared down bellow.

"Chi! Chikorita!" the Grass type Pokemon firmly growled.

"Don't worry, I am not saying you couldn't help us." the eleven years old girl said with a smile as she was putting back on the bandage that kept her arms behind her back. "If you don't feel too tired, you can still run with Arckee."

"Chiko!" he affirmed though it was clear he couldn't run as fast as he did before and Crystal had to pause her training again.

"Come on, Megaree. You helped me greatly already. Take some rest and once you are, you can join Arckee, alright?"

"Chi..." her Pokemon said, trying to look as strong as Arckee. The size difference between the two Pokemon made it laughable.

"Megaree, there is no shame in resting once in a while." Crystal gently said, kneeling next to her Pokemon. "I did it myself when I was with Mom."

As if triggered, the green Pokemon emitted a fierce groan but relented under his trainer's sweet eyes and plea. He went to the human's side where he laid down with a tired sigh.

"He certainly doesn't like me, does he?" Giulianna asked her Wobbuffet who didn't give any answer.

"Just watch me. Arckee, let's go back to it!" Crystal announced. Just as if he had been waiting for her command, the Arcanine started running around, though slower than the first time so his trainer could still see him and try to hit the target with her balls.

Yet it wasn't as easy as it seemed. Sure Arckee was bigger, but it also meant that Crystal had to more carefully aim as the target was so small it looked lost on the Arcanine's fur and more than one, she hit her Pokemon on the neck, side or behind, when the Pokeball just didn't miss the Pokemon entirely because he wasn't where Crystal had thought he'd be when she had thrown her Pokeball. Yet, not once the huge canine Pokemon seemed to mind. Quite the contrary, he looked rather pleased and to enjoy the situation.

"I'll succeed this time!" Crystal announced. Unfortunately, her prediction skill were off mark for, if the Pokeball did hit the wooden panel with a snap noise, it also just bounced off it as it had hit the top side of the panel.

"Uff… Uff…" Crystal panted. It was clear she was also starting to feel tired. "Missed again…" The Arcanine went to his trainer and brushed his big head against his trainer's. "I am sorry Arckee. Let's try it again?" A pleased bark answered her. However their training would have to wait as Arckee's gently bark turned into a deep growl and then a fierce roar that resonated through the mountain.

"What is…" Giulianna wondered aloud, looking around for what had caught the Fire Pokemon's attention. "Ooooh… That's going to be interesting."


	13. Chapter 13 : A Good Catch

**Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.  
N.B.: I also slightly changed the order of the events towards the end.**

13 - A Good Catch

Arckee didn't look pleased at all and keep growling in a direction. Unfortunately for Crystal, and contrary to her mother, she couldn't distinguish what it was as a fog had been forming in the distance and concealed what made the Arcanine so angry. Giulianna had a good view on the being though and she recognized the shape easily. Rather small, greenish coloured, even though the fog made it look more greyish than green, black markings under and above his eyes and that same mean glare.

Larvitar was back!

How it had managed to get here, Giulanna could only guess. Just as she could only suppose if its presence was coincidental or on purpose. Maybe it has smelled Arcanine. The big Fire Pokemon seemed to have a personal feud with the Ground and Rock type Pokemon, and one that went much further than type advantage and weakness.

The fire canine had taken a fighting stance, his fangs bared and growling a low and threatening bark. It was so unlike him that even Giulianna was surprised. She didn't recall having ever seen the Pokemon so restless and nervous, was it with Crystal or his past trainer. Whatever had the Larvitar done to Arckee had left its imprint on the Arcanine.

As if laughing at the canine's behavior and reaction, the Larvitar had a sort of smirk and rushed at the Arcanine. It was going fast for such a small and chubby creature, yet the blond woman wasn't that surprised. As she had already seen what it could do, she knew the Pokemon could be cunning and deceiving. And his physical ability didn't seem to be outdone. Maybe she'd have to intervene. Discreetly so her daughter wouldn't know.

The Larvitar's hit the target on Arckee's back with ease, smashing the wooden board and sending splinter all around. It was strange. Even though Larvitar was fast, Arcanine should have been much faster, being built for quick race, Larvitar shouldn't have been a match for him. And yet, the Larvitar kept attacking Arckee on his right side, no matter how much the fire Pokemon tried to dodge the attacks or flee, the Larvitar was always there, clinging to his back.

"That's not normal." Giulianna muttered. Usually wild Pokemon attacked their opponent randomly, not aiming at a specific point. And Arcanine, even though powerful and quick had only one weakness that made him less efficient his battle: he was blind on the right eye. And this Larvitar seemed to know that. "Could it be…? Could it be that this Larvitar was responsible for Ebereth's loss of his right eye?" she spoke aloud. She remembered Crystal telling of her encounter with Arckee, that he had a nasty cut on his right eye. Now she understood why. "Oh Sev… Why did you leave him behind?" she sighed.

Down bellow, she had heard that Crystal had come to the same conclusion as she had about Arckee's wound's origins. She saw her daughter racing to the Pokeballs where she had called her Pokemon back, for some reasons. Unfortunately, her hands were still bandaged and kept tightly behind her back, hindering her as she tried to reach for her devices.

Behind them, the battle raged, Larvitar harassing Arckee who tried to counter attack, yet few of his attacks reached their target who seemed to be playing with its opponent, just like cat Pokemon played with their prey before eating them. Or leaving them to die, rotting in the sun. None of the move the Ground type Pokemon were particularly strong or efficient. Yet, from where she was, the adult could see it was enjoying it greatly. Any Rock or Ground move would have been enough to defeat the Arcanine, and yet, it kept scratching the Fire type.

Soft pawsteps caught her attention and she turned around, expecting to see the Azumarill coming at her. She had been catching glances towards the two Pokemon she had left behind, and each time both of them had been quietly sitting next to one another, the berries eaten since long. However this time, it wasn't neither of them she saw. The Pokemon who was now by her side was much bigger. She nodded, acknowledging its presence and turned back to the battle raging on when she heard her daughter's voice.

"Hurry, we have to help him!" Crystal exclaimed. Megaree seemed enthralled by the fight and didn't know what to do. It was clear he wished to intervene, but he didn't know what to do, or how. "Oh no!" his trainer's disappointed cry tore him away from the scene he was staring at and he rushed towards his trainer.

From up above, Giulianna could see what was wrong. Somehow, when it had been attacking Ebereth, the move that seemed harmless against the huge canine, hadn't been so. Somehow, the Pokemon had known about Pokeball, or it had felt the Pokemon who were inside, and some wooden shards had hit the devices and broke the opening system, effectively trapping the Pokemon.

Crystal's mother was relieved. Had the shards completely broken the Pokeballs, the Pokemon would have been gone with them. For now, even though she couldn't see them clearly due to the distance and her daughter's presence in front of them, she knew they were doing alright. They were frightened, especially Bonee, but they also wanted to help. However Crystal would have to do with only a scared Arcanine and a small Grass type Pokemon.

"Come on, Crystal. Show us what you're made of!" Giulianna said with a smile. Her daughter had the key to her victory in her hand, if she knew how to use it. However, for now, she was eyeing at the Larvitar, looking confused at what to do. All the while the small green Pokemon kept attacking Arcanine, having the time of its life it seemed.

Fortunately, Megaree had a rebellious side as well as a soft spot for the fire Pokemon who was about thrice his size (leaf not included). He didn't wait for Crystal to think of a plan to get out of this situation. Gathering his courage (or acting without thinking it through, Giulianna couldn't be sure), he dashed towards the two battling Pokemon. Arckee was starting to slow down, tired from the relentless – though weak – attacks he kept enduring and it was all Giulianna could do not to intervene and separate them.

"Megaree!" Crystal screamed as her Chikorita hit the Larvitar head on. Her mother winced and rubbed her temple as if she has been the one to have been hurt. Ground and Rock type Pokemon's leather was rather tough. Even if Giulianna had never laid her hand on a Larvitar, she guessed its skin certainly was stone hard. The good thing was that she hadn't heard any cracking sound. Megaree's bones certainly were strong if they had resisted breaking.

The Chirorita's intervention was buying Ebereth some time. The Fire Pokemon though didn't intervene to separate the Ground and the Grass type. Instead, he whined and just moved away from the fight, tail between his legs to lick his many cuts and wound in a discreet place. Giulianna shook her head when she saw that. To think that this huge fire boy was cowering… It was unbelievable.

On the other hand, in spite of his small size, Megaree seemed to have the courage and fighting spirit that the Arcanine lacked. He dodged and parried the Larvitar's relentless moves and attacks as much as he could. He moaned when Larvitar's strong horn pierced through its head leaf. Yet that wasn't the end of it. Taking advantage of the Pokemon being closer to him, Megaree extended his vines and whipped his opponent, surprising him.

Unfortunately for Megaree, the surprise was short lived and Larvitar retaliated with biting the vines, almost severing one of them. The Chikorita sent it flying away just in time. However, it didn't crash against the mountain: it swiftly turned around and, just as it had when Giulianna had crossed its path, it landed on the stone wall, and started digging a hole into it with _its teeth_.

The side effect, beside effectively dodging Megaree's Razor Leaves that were flying in its direction, was that it recovered some of its energy and it healed its wound from the whipping it had received earlier. The environment really was in this Larvitar's favor, no wonder it had taken up residence in this place. It could safely bully anyone passing by in this area.

"Crystal, what are you doing?" she muttered, biting her thumb's nail, a bad habit she had taken to do when she was nervous. She moved as if she was about to jump down, yet something tugging on her shirt prevented her from completing her action. "Alright, fine…" she said between gritted teeth. "But it's killing me to see her like this…"

The woman's daughter seemed to be lost in thought, as Megaree was standing between the Larvitar – that was out of sight for now – and Arckee, covering the Arcanine's blind spot and preventing the Larvitar from getting too close.

Though it had now found a new target, the Larvitar still seemed intend on attacking the Arcanine. What could have happened between them, that was anyone guess. It was clear their war would end only when one them would be down for good.

Larvitar had re-emerged from the ground, and right in front of Megaree who couldn't dodge the surprise attack. Larvitar's hit Megaree once again, digging another hole into the poor Grass type's leaf, causing him to emit a loud howl, snapping Crystal out of her thoughts.

She determinedly got up, though she still had her hands stuck behind her back, she raced towards her Chikorita and the Larvitar. Giulianna wondered what her daughter could have in mind. She was no Pokemon, there was no way she could be a match to a Larvitar.

"Don't hold back!" she screamed to her small Pokemon. "Megaree, I am coming!"

That seemed to do the trick. As Megaree saw his trainer coming to him, he seemed to have a rush of energy going through his body. He radiated a light, as if he wanted to outshine the sun, or as if he had taken in much too energy from the sun and needed to let some go.

"Megaree!" Crystal called again. A faint metallic noise could be heard when Megaree's necklace broke, the star shaped jewel falling on the ground. And as he was growing in size, Megaree, with a swift move of his head leaf, send the Larvitar flying away again. The two holes the Larvitar had dug into the leaf had merged when it had grown, but Megaree, now a Bayleef, didn't seem to mind.

He slammed his left forepaw down. He was much heavier than before, about three time as heavy, if Giulianna had to guess, and much taller too. Even though the head leaf had grown, his body had grown even more, to be about two time bigger. The Larvitar had felt the change and seemed much less sure of himself. Its smirk was gone and had been replaced by a pout.

"Serves you right!" Giulianna gloated happily, proud of Megaree's change and the bond between him and her daughter.

Down bellow, Larvitar wasn't about to call it finished. He was running towards Megaree, believing it wasn't the end and still could defeat his opponent, even though it was bigger. Or, if not him, at least his primary target, the Arcanine.

"Don't let him get near Arckee!" Crystal commanded her Pokemon.

On cue, Megaree used Razor Leaf again. This time, they didn't miss their target, hitting the green Pokemon head on, managing to cut through its thick leather hide. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough as it didn't waver or stop in its path, trying to pass by the Bayleef and his trainer.

"Megaree! Block him. Don't let him escape!"

The yellowish Pokemon ran to Bayleef, yet, instead of headbutting it, he turned around and kicked it in its jaws, sending the Ground and Rock type Pokemon in a straight line towards the foot of the stone wall. Rock fell when it crashed against it and the Pokemon didn't get up right away. Instead, it remained face against the ground.

"Careful," the adult muttered. "It might be digging its way out…"

Yet Crystal didn't send Megaree to attack the Larvitar again. Instead, she took the Pokeball she had been training with earlier. She juggled with it a few times and, once she was sure of where she was aiming at, she moved her body so she wouldn't miss her target.

"It's now or never!" she yelled, throwing the Pokeball towards Larvitar who looked up when it heard the powerful shout, just in time to get the ball right on its right eye. It then disappeared in a flash of light as it was sucked in the device. The ball landed and moved a bit as the Larvitar was trying to get out of its new prison. However it seemed it has used up much too energy and the ball eventually stopped moving.

"It's… I don't believe it!" Crystal exclaimed. "I… I caught it!" Arckee joined her should with a happy bark that turned into a joyful howling. Even Bayleef couldn't help but rub against his trainer's shoulder (he was really much bigger than before) to share her happiness.

"That's my girl!" Giulianna congratulated her daughter from her place. She wanted to go down and hug her little girl, yet she resisted. This was Crystal's and Megaree's victory, and their alone. "So, what do you say?" she asked, turning to the Pokemon who had joined her and her Wobbuffet.

Of course, the Pokemon didn't answer anything but kept staring at the young girl down bellow. She looked much more happier and at ease, chatting with her two Pokemon as she removed her bandages and took back the Pokemon that were stuck in their balls.

Giulianna could hear her daughter promising them that they'd be free as soon as they got to the next town and its Pokemon Center. Crystal also took the Pokeball containing the Larvitar. The young trainer looked long at it, as if evaluating her option. She then turned to face Arckee and she showed him the Pokeball. Out of instinct, the big canine moved back, hissing and growling.

"Arckee. Calm down." she softly told her Pokemon. "I am not keeping it, don't worry." she added to comfort her Arcanine. "I defeated him and I managed to catch him."

"Bay!" Megaree said, intervening.

"I know, with your help. And I thank you for it." Crystal said with a giggle, rubbing her newly evolved Pokemon's head. She placed the Larvitar's ball in her bag, and Arckee seemed to relax when it disappeared from his sight.

Before closing her bag, the girl took another rope.

"What do you say we check if I am really ready to get back to Pokemon catching?" she asked with a smile.

As if they had understood, Megaree and Arckee both emitted cries of joy. The training went smoothly and, if at first Crystal still missed some of the targets, in the end, she was satisfied by her progress: most of the balls she threw hit bullseyes whether it was on Megaree's or on Arckee's back.

"Let's try something harder!" she suggested, taking two balls. She juggled with them as her Pokemon were running around randomly. She threw them towards Bayleef who jumped just in time to dodge the ball, yet he hit it with one of his paw, sending it bouncing toward a rock. The ball went back towards the other device, successfully changing its trajectory towards Arckee all the while moving towards Megaree's new direction. Where it landed on the target on his back.

"Success!" Crystal was bouncing of joy. She took the two balls from Megaree and Arckee who were bringing them to her and placed them back into her bag where she fished her Pokegear and dialled a number. The screen was still broken, but Giulianna had managed to get it to work well enough so her daughter could see what it displayed.

"Hello! Professor Oak?" Crystal happily greeted. "Yes, I am doing better, thank you."

"I am still in Mount Mortar. But I am done with my training."

"I'd say so, yes. Professor, I am going to go to the next town."

"No, not Ecruteak City. I was thinking of Olivine City. I haven't caught a lot of water type Pokemon. That's why I am heading towards a harbour."

"Oh, don't worry about it. I think I will be fine. I have caught a Larvitar. I'll send it to you as soon as possible."

"That's right. I'll give it to your assistant then."

Crystal giggled. "Perhaps Professor. I still need to check if I am as good a catcher as before my encounter with Suicune." Her voice had deepened.

"She still can't get it out of her mind…" Guilianna commented as her daughter ended the phone call with the professor. She then put her shoes back on as well as her jacket. She took her backpack, ready to go, yet she didn't leave right away. She finally went to pick up her stuck Pokemon and faced them. Bayleef raced to her and rubbed his head against her shoulder, smiling broadly.

"I didn't think you'd evolve so soon, Megaree," she said quietly. "I'll keep on training." she promised her Pokemon. "I will grow stronger with you by my side. There is nothing worst than a trainer who rest on their laurels. I am counting on you, just as you count on me. Alright?"

The joyful cry that resonated in the mountain answered Crystal's question and lingered as the young girl ran down the mountain, followed by her Bayleef and her Arcanine. As well as her mother's eyes.

"I prefer seeing you like this, Cris." she said. "I now can go on my way with a light heart knowing everything will be fine on your hand." She paused to sigh, turning and about to say something. But the one she meant to speak to had gone, unnoticed. Instead, she faced her other two Pokemon who had fallen asleep. "I have a lot to do."

Away, much higher than she'd ever be able to reach in so little time, she spotted his small shape, his purple mane flowing into the wind as the sun rays resting on his crest made it glow a pure icy blue.

"She won't forget you anytime soon," Giulianna muttered, sure he had heard her as he left the mountain to head south. "Alright buddies!" she loudly exclaimed, surprising her Wobbuffet as well as startling the Murkrow and Azumarill awake. "Let's go!"


	14. Chapter 14 : A Battle to Know You

**Disclaimer: This story is based on the manga: Pokemon The Great Adventure and start during the Gold, Silver and Crystal arc. None of the characters mentionned and who are part of the main cast are mine, a few secondary/background characters are entirely made up for the purpose of this story.**

14 - A Battle to Know You

It didn't take her too long to gather her belongings and leave the place as if she had never been here. Now that her daughter was back on track and had proved she was still capable of successfully catching Pokemon, she could go back on her mission. And also complete the task she had been asked. Though, she'd do it in a more comfortable environment. She thought of going back home, but then decided it'd take her away from the places she needed to go. After all, whoelse but those who witnessed the events happening first hand would be better suited to speak about such event?

"There. And remember, handle with care." she said, carefully placing the Murkrow on her Wobbuffet's head.

The feathered Pokemon looked down at the blue one and emitted a pleased 'caw', which brought a smile to the woman's lips. It thinned when she faced Azumarill. It was still looking good, no hint of the terrible fate that had befallen it what seemed to be eons ago, but, in truth, must have happened only a few hours earlier.

"So… What do I do with you?" she asked out loud. "I know I promised you to bring you back to the lake where I first found you…" The Azumarill merely looked at her, a look on incomprehension on its face. Then it happily made several steps in her direction. Giulianna braced herself in case it was a trick and it was trying to attack her. Yet, in the end, it just hugged her and nuzzle its soft muzzle against her waist.

"Alright, I guess not…" she decided with a laugh. "You're welcomed to come along if you wish." she said, rubbing the Pokemon's soft head then unwrapping his paws from around her waist. "Wobbee, let's go."

"Woobbuffet!" he exclaimed, going after her.

"I know. Let's hurry. I want to have a real meal for once. I don't mind berries, but one can go so far with only berries in their stomach." she sternly said. "And we still have a long wait to reach our destination."

"Wobbuffeeeet."

"I am glad to see that you agree. Now, come on."

She took another way than the one she had used to climb up there, much less steep as she was slowly making her descent to the mountain's opposite slope. She didn't encounter a lot of Pokemon, except a few Geodudes and Machop who had left the shelter of the caves where they usually dwelt in in that part of Johto. She also met some Rattata and Raticate, but those roamed about everywhere.

She used these encounters to train with her Wobbuffet, getting the Murkrow from him and keeping him with her and she didn't quite trust Azumarill with him yet. Feeling more at ease around the woman's presence, the Murkrow left her arms to comfortably sit on her shoulder. He even cawed a few times as a cheering to Wobbuffet.

"It looks like you took a liking into him, didn't you?" she asked turning to the Murkrow after one of these training battle that had sent the defeated Graveler running away.

"Caw!" he loudly answered, beating his wings, only to stop from the pain.

"We should be down in a city by this evening," she promised. "Once there, I should be able to have someone check your wing." She feared they'd have to break the wing again to set it correctly into place. That meant the Murkrow would be forced to remain still for a long time, therefore that she'd not be allowed to take him along during her investigation. A shame for she had grown accustomed to the little bird Pokemon. Her trail of thoughts got interrupted when her Pokegear started ringing, disturbing a few wild Pokemon who fled away.

"Hello. Doctor Warren speaking."

"Hey, mom!" A happy and young voice resonated in her ear.

"Crystal!" she exclaimed. Even though she had 'left' her daughter only a few hours ago, she was pleased to hear a voice, especially considering it was aimed at her. "How are you doing? How is your training going? Did you meet some other Pokemon to add to your team?"

"Ah ah. Not this time mom." Crystal answered with a fake laugh. "I am doing alright. And the training went better than I expected."

"Really? See, I told you my program was the best!" Giulianna proudly said. "I hope you followed it to the letter."

"I did. And it helped me greatly." Crystal admitted.

"Have you tried to catch some Pokemon?" she asked, genuinely curious if her daughter had made more attempt after the Larvitar.

"I did." the young girl answered. A part of what she said next was lost when a strong wind blew.

"I am sorry, what was that?"

"I said I caught several rock type Pokemon." Crystal repeated. "However I couldn't catch all those I came across because I feared I'd not have any room left in my bag."

"That's very sensible of you." her mother answered, nodding even though her daughter couldn't see it. "What are you going to do with all the Pokemon you have caught?"

"I'll leave them at a Pokemon Center. I have called Professor Oak. He said he was going to send someone there to check the Pokedex. He'll also have them pick up the Pokemon."

"Good idea. You perhaps could also ask him to check your Pokegear. I'm sure that if they can repair your Pokedex, a mere cellphone would be a walk in the park for them." the adult suggested.

"I could… But I don't think it's their role…" Crystal countered in a low voice. "They're not your average repair man."

"I never said they were. But it doesn't cost anything to ask."

"I guess… Oh, mom. You know Arckee was injured when I met him, right?"

"Sure." Giulianna said with another nod that her daughter couldn't see. "What about it? Don't tell me he got injured again while on Mount Mortar."

"What?" Crystal shouted. "No! No." she added in a more calm tone. "It's just that we met the one responsible for his injury."

"How so? Was it his former trainer?"

"Not quite. It was a Larvitar! And a mean one at that. Did you know that Pokemon could be ill-tempered and vindictive? This Pokemon didn't seem to be willing to let go of Arckee. It kept attacking him over and over. Always aiming at his injured side."

**Yes**. "No. Well, I supposed that some Pokemon took up the manner from their trainer and that it could explain their bad temper and rude behavior." the adult stopped her walk when a Tyrogue showed up on the path she was taking. "But this one, this Larvitar, it was wild, right?"

"Yes. It may have been released, but I doubt it."

"How did you handle its attacking Arckee though? Let me guess… You used Bonee and Monlee's to corner it then asked Parasee to use one of those spore attacks to put it to sleep." Giulianna asked, all the while pointing at her Wobbuffet to go against the Tyrogue who didn't seem about to move away. Quite the contrary, he was gesturing the blue Pokemon to come and fight.

"Could have been a possibility, if I have had my Pokemon with me."

"What do you mean if you've had your Pokemon with you? They _were_ with you, weren't they? You'd not happen to have left them behind?" The Tyrogue tried to land a blow on the Wobbuffet and scare him. Unfortunately for the purplish young Pokemon, it didn't work.

"Of course not mom. We're a team. They are my partners. They were… stuck in their Pokeball. I don't know how it had done it, but Larvitar had managed to break my Pokemon's opening system."

"Crystal…. My sweet girl, that's why I tell you to never keep your Pokemon into their ball. You never know when that device can break." she said, using her lecture voice. "And see, once again, I got proved correctly."

"I… I know Mom. I couldn't have guessed a _wild_ Pokemon would know what's the use of a Pokeball."

**So it may not have been a wild Pokemon after all,** she thought for herself. Perhaps it had been released. Human tended to do that when they had no use of a Pokemon anymore. Or when they proved way to hard to handle for them. No wonder that Pokemon what ill-mannered. "I suppose not." she said at least as Wobbuffet's Counter perfectly sent the Tyrogue's tackle back to its opponent who crashed against the ground. "How did you manage to defeat the Larvitar then?"

"Megaree!" Crystal proudly stated.

"Megaree?" Giulianna repeated as she watched the Tyrogue get back up and wipe his cheeks clean of dirt. "Your Chikorita took on a Larvitar?"

"My _Bayleef_ took on a Larvitar!" her daughter corrected. "He evolved to help Arckee."

"He did? My, congratulations! Don't forget to send the data about his evolution to the professor. Wasn't he the one to give it to you? I am sure he'd like to hear about it too."

"It's a bit more complicated than that…"This got Giulianna curious, and she wondered what could be so complicated about being handed a Pokemon by a professor, yet she didn't ask. This story, however interesting, would have to wait for another time. The Tyrogue was attacking again."But it makes sense."

"Lots of things that I say make sense." Crystal's mother claimed just as the Tyrogue's head hit her Wobbuffet. Without doing much damage. This battle was going to take forever.

"Erm…" the young girl tried to stifle a laugh. "Dad would disagree."

"Don't be mean," Giulianna said with a fake sob. The Tyrogue once again had been pushed back to the ground. "You father knows when I am being serious and when I am kidding."

"I know, mom."

"Are you going back home?" Giulianna asked, even though she already knew the answer to this question.

"No, mom." she answered, sounding a bit sad. "I am heading to Olivine City. As you have said, I have taken up a job and I want to complete it before I can rest."

"You sound just like your dad." Crystal's mother said with a sigh. That Tyrogue was clearly exhausted and yet it showed no sign he was going to give up this already lost battle. "We did raise the perfect daughter!"

"Mom!"

"Hey, you should be grateful! I am speaking from the heart. You're the best daughter one could ever hope to have. And _I _got you." The Tyrogue slammed again against her Wobbuffet. Once again, her Pokemon used Counter. Fortunately, this time, the smaller Pokemon fell and didn't get back up.

"Thank you Mom."

"You're welcome, my dear. Keep me informed if you need help. Or where I could send you some other Balls… From what you said, I believe you're going to need more soon." she said, gently petting her Pokemon on the head.

"I will. See you later, Mom." And with it, her daughter hung up.

"Finally… Damn, that was a long battle." Giulianna couldn't help but exclaim. Usually the Pokemon she went against were stronger, strong enough to knock themselves out with only one or two Counters. "This one need to level up his physical strength." she commented, going near the fallen Pokemon.

"You! There!"

"Huh?" She looked up to see a heavy set individual coming in her direction. Her skin was tanned, showing she spend a lot of time in the sun, and her chestnut brown hair was a mess. Even the Murkrow's nest had seemed to be more orderly than this lady's hair. She was wearing a reddish brown crude jacket, maybe made of cotton, and dark brown pants, probably made of the same crude textile. Big black hiking shoes and a heavy backpack completed her outfit. And she didn't look quite pleased.

"Are you the one who defeated this Tyrogue?" she asked, pointing at the defeated Pokemon once she was a few feet away.

"Actually, my Pokemon did." she corrected the woman. "Why? Did it belong to you?"

"Not exactly. I have been looking for one like these. Would you mind if…"

Giulianna raised a brow at the woman.

"Not that I mind for I didn't have any plan on catching it, but you do know that's not how it goes, do you?"

"Don't you think I know?" she growled. "I have been looking for Tyrogues all over the mountains. But there aren't a lot of them to begin with. And the few I managed to come across, my Pokemon had completely knocked them out."

"I see." The blond trainer didn't have much trouble understanding what the hiker really meant with 'knocked out'. "Well, lady, it pains me to know you don't control your Pokemon well enough to prevent it from beating other Pokemon to a pulp."

"I didn't ask for a critique." she snapped. "So, will you let me catch it or not?"

"I could have said yes… Now you convinced me to refuse." Giulianna said with a smile. "Unless…"

"Unless what?"

The blond trainer pointed her thumb at her Azumarill who was standing behind her, unaware of the situation.

"See, I have… got this Azumarill not too long ago. I need to see what it can do. Let me have it against your Pokemon and if you manage to convince me of your talent as a trainer, perhaps I'd let you catch this Tyrogue."

"Why would I do that?"

Giulianna shrugged. "I can give you a few reasons. One," she raised her forefinger. "I'd prevent you the hassle to go look for another one. Second," she rose her middle finger, "it'd prevent you and your Pokemon from crushing it again. I am sure the Pokemon Rangers wouldn't like the Tyrogue population to dwindle. Not after the work it had required for their number to rise again. Third," she rose her thumb, "what do you have to lose? It's nothing but a simple battle. If your Pokemon is that strong, it'll defeat mine easily."

"Grmph…" the Hiker frowned and crosser her arms over her chest, staring at the blond woman and her Pokemon, her eyes lingering on Azumarill as if pondering her chances at winning. "I guess it's fair." she said at last.

"Perfect." Giulianna said with a smile. "Azuzu, com'here boy." she said, gesturing for her Water Type Pokemon. He didn't understand right away but when she called him again using this name, he happily made his way in her direction. "You'll be battling her Pokemon, alright? Don't worry, everything will be fine."

"So, it's a one on one battle." the Hiker declared, sending in her Pokeball. "Mark my word, lady, I am going to crush you."

"Wouldn't that be counter productive, if you were to show me you can control your Pokemon?" Giulianna gently asked with a smile as a Noctowl appeared, surprising her. "I didn't expect this to be your Pokemon."

"I told you my Pokemon defeated every Tyrogue we had come across. What else did you expect."

"I don't know… Some ground type…" Giulianna suggested.

"Think again." the woman who wasn't really a hiker said. "I train bird Pokemon. Sissy, attack this Azumarill! And no need to hold back this time! Use Confusion!"

"Azuzu, Aqua Tail." she countered. Of course, the water type Pokemon couldn't dodge the Confusion that the Noctowl used against him, the huge amber colored eyes locking on to the dark ones of the Azumarill, sending its powerful mind-wave in his brain. Yet, he still managed to get his tail to glow blue and, in a swift rotating move, send it to hit the brown bird. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to defeat it. "Don't let it go away, Aqua Tail again."

"Do you really think drenching her in water will let you win?" the hiker snickered. "Think again. Sissy, use Hypnosis."

"Azuzu, look away! Defense Curl!" It was just in time. Right before Noctowl could lock her eyes into Azumarill's, he went to the ground and curled into a ball, leaving the bird Pokemon to fly above it. "Good! Let's use it to our advantage… Use Roll Out!" Now, it was a total guess, but the blond trainer was almost completely positive she was right in thinking Azumarill knew this move.

And she was proved right when the blue and white Pokemon indeed started to roll in the Noctowl's direction, his speed increasing steadily.

"Not bad. You thought of a good way to protect it against Hypnonis and Confusion," the opponent's said. "Still, you have to hit my Pokemon. And I have to stop yours. Sissy, use Steel Wing."

The Noctowl's wing feather seemed to harden and become sharper as the bird flew high and nosedive towards the Azumarill who was still rolling around.

"Let it come…" Guilianna muttered. "Go to your left!" she suddenly commanded her Pokemon as his opponent was almost on him. Was it due to their new link or because the Azumarill had felt the shadow of the bird, but it moved right in time to dodge the move and the bird had to beat her wings to fight back up. "Don't let her go. Roll out on her." Just as the bird was moving away, the Azumarill managed to get enough momentum to crash on her back. "Good boy."

"That was pure luck." the woman spat. "Sissy, Steel Wing again!"

"You wish. Azuzu, don't let yourself get hit, roll around, get it confused."

"Don't underestimate us." the bird-keeper said. And indeed, they weren't to be underestimated for her Pokemon answered the hand move her trainer made. In a split second, she changed direction and went to cut the Azumarill's path, making a gash into the ground and successfully diverting it from his course.

"Good! But not enough. Azuzu, Aqua Tail again!" Using the momentum he had gained from his Roll Out, Azumarill jumped high into the air until it was above the Noctowl, the fall increasing his speed even more and adding to the strength in his tail with which he hit the bird, this time throwing it back to the ground.

"I didn't expect this. But it's not over!" the Noctowl's trainer growled. "Now your Pokemon has stopped moving, he is at the mercy of my Pokemon's Hypnosis."

"Not if I can help it! Azuzu, shield yourself in water and use Play Rough!" As the bird Pokemon's eyes were glowing red, the Azumarill's tail glowed blue and he shook it in front of him, creating a sort of water wall, wall that the Azumarill went through and crashed against his opponent, pinning it to the stone floor. "So? Do we consider you lost?"

"I told you it wasn't over! Sissy, use Peck!" the trainer countered. Even though her Pokemon wasn't in the best position for it, she still used her powerful beak to hit the Azumarill, blood spilling on his blue and white fur.

Unfortunately, it seemed to have triggered some trauma in the Azumarill's brain. Giulianna growled. She could see the Water type Pokemon's anger increasing. No doubt that it remembered having been hit over and over by bird Pokemon. And as he couldn't get his revenge on the Murkrow, this Noctowl would have to do. The Noctowl's attacks were less fierce and feathers laid around the two foes.

"Azuzu, stop! It's over." She said, going to her Pokemon and pushing him away from the bird Pokemon that he was pummelling down. "I guess we can call it a draw…" she told her opponent, pointing at the still out cold purple Pokemon. "Go ahead, take the Tyrogue. I wasn't planning on catching it."

"Good!" the Bird Keeper trainer said, calling her Noctowl back into her Pokeball. "And I know it's not how it's usually done." she added, throwing her Pokeball to the Tyrogue. The red device emitted a red glow that suck the Pokemon in and kept it stuck inside.

"No problem…"

"Awesome!" She exclaimed, picking up the ball when it stopped shaking. "My son will be so pleased." she added excitedly.

"Your son wanted a Tyrogue? Why didn't he come get it himself?"

"He's still a bit too young for this." she explained. "Besides, a Tyrogue will be a fantastic playmate for him. And they'll be able to train together with his father."

"I see. A family of fighter?"

"Not really. They just like fighting type."

"Unlike you." Giulianna said with a smirk.

"True enough, I prefer the beauty and lightness of bird Pokemon. Even though I don't mind a nice fight once in a while."

"That's fair. And thank you for the battle, it helped me see what were my Pokemon's ability."

"You're welcome… Though, did you really got him only recently? He seemed to obey you very well, for a Pokemon you just caught." the bird trainer asked, raising a brow.

"It's a bit more complicated. I have been trying to use him in battle only recently." she answered, unable to tell the truth. Not that the woman would believe it anyway.

"I understand. I think…"

"Yes, we've spent some days in the area," she said, pointing at her Wobbuffet who still had the Murkrow standing on his head. "It didn't go as well as I'd have hoped." She didn't expand, it'd be easier to let the woman come to her own conclusion. "However, excuse my manner, I'm Leanna."

"Please to meet you Leanna. I'm Barbara. But everyone call me Babs." the woman said, holding her hand out for Giulianna to shake it.

"Likewise. Nothing beat a good Pokemon battle to know someone." she answered with a wink.

"I guess not. Well, now my business in the mountain is done, I am heading back."

"Where are you going?" the blond woman asked, mid-interested.

"To Mahogany Town."

"Sweet, I am headed there too." she exclaimed with enthusiasm. "Would you mind my company?"

"Not at all. Come on."


End file.
